An Unexpected Neighbor
by ginnylol123
Summary: Being a single mother was sad, but as an expectant mother jilted at the altar was even sadder. Emma thought Neal loved her, but in the end it was nothing but hurt and scars he brought her. Could a devilishly handsome neighbor help her out of her misery? Because fate—or rather, Cupid—had an interesting plan for these two. CS AU fanfic. M-rated content in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Being a single mother was sad, but being an expectant mother jilted at the altar was even sadder. Emma Swan thought Neal Cassidy loved her, but in the end it was nothing but hurt and scars that he brought her. Could a devilishly handsome and charming neighbor help her out of her misery? Because fate—or rather, Cupid—had an interesting plan for these two. CaptainSwan AU fanfic. Rated M to be safe.

* * *

An Unexpected Neighbor

Chapter One

It was supposed to be the best day of her life. Pregnant with her fiancé's baby, about to get married with the man she loved, she thought she was going to live happily ever after with her Mr. Right. He was the only person that made her let her walls down. She felt comfortable with him. She thought Neal was her happy ending. _But she was wrong_. She trusted him and loved him with all her heart, but he just didn't love her as much as she loved him.

"Do you take Emma Swan to be your lawfully wedded wife?" asked the pastor. The question was met by Neal's silence. The pastor asked again, as if it wasn't embarrassing enough the first time. Still, Neal didn't answer. Gasps filled the quiet church. Neal looked at Emma with all sincerity and she was puzzled by the look on his face.

"I'm sorry, Em. I just can't do this," he whispered. That was all he said before scurrying for the church doors. He wasn't getting cold feet about marriage. But he was leaving her for her own good. A life with a wanted criminal was not the kind of family their child deserved. He knew Emma wouldn't mind being Bonnie and Clyde as long as they stayed together. But the baby should be taken into account too. He couldn't be thinking for himself only. It would be too selfish to have the baby born to an outlaw father.

The sight of Neal gradually disappeared. The shocked ex-bride-to-be stood at the altar woodenly, trying to make sense of the current situation. Her fiancé, the father of her baby, left her alone on the altar facing astonished guests. She doubted he would come back to her, and the baby. _He's gone, for good_ …

The night of their supposed wedding, Emma sat on her bed alone, fearing what her future might be now that Neal's left her and the baby. Tears drenched the ivory dress she bought for the wedding reception. A dress that would remind her of Neal in the future. But she saw no point not to wear it one last time, symbolizing the end of their relationship. She placed a hand over her stomach, determined to soldier on by herself, at least for the baby's sake. She could raise this baby on her own, without a man's help. As a friendless orphan, she grew up all right. She wasn't the first woman in the world being abandoned by heartless men. Nor was she the only single parent in the world. She could manage this, she told herself strong-mindedly. Although a job in the newspapers business was not ideal for a woman who's about to have a baby, it provided a stable income. An income that would provide her and the baby a comfortable life, she reminded herself.

Emma heard her phone buzzed on the nightstand. She took a look at the screen, _Incoming Call: Elsa._ Elsa was her colleague and also a dear friend of hers. She supposed Elsa was calling about what happened earlier that day. But she's not ready to talk about it yet so she just ignored the incoming call and concentrated on thinking about what her future could be.

Before she could conjure up some more plans for the future, her stomach growled as if she was starved for days. She threw her jacket over her shoulders and wrapped her neck with her favorite scarf to avoid catching a cold in this freezing winter. Just as she stepped onto the cramped corridor of the apartment corridor, she bumped into a couple holding bottles of beer. The liquid spilled onto her scarf and the woman quickly apologized, but the man seemed to have paid no attention to the incident at all. When she was about to yell at the drunk man, she noticed that the man lived next door, who just moved in two days before. It was her second time meeting him. "Hello to you too, Mr. Jones and your… friend." Emma pretended that she didn't mind the woman's careless behavior, even though the woman ruined her favorite scarf.

"Oh hello, Ms. Swan. Sorry about your scarf. I'll get you another one later. But now…I have some other _important_ business to get to, so if you'll excuse us…" Emma swore she saw him grabbing his lady friend's ass in front of her. The couple then retreated to the apartment next to hers. She thought he was an average guy as a neighbor, but not after what happened tonight. _What an SOB, Emma thought_. And she shrugged off the encounter with her nasty neighbor and made her way to the elevator.

* * *

Later that night when Emma came back to the apartment after dinner, she was exhausted. She could literally fall asleep when she's on her feet. After a quick shower she prepared herself for bed. But thanks to the thin walls of this apartment complex, she couldn't sleep, _not at all_. Her neighbor was making a lot of noise with his friend. All she heard all night was the woman's voice begging for more and faster. _Gosh, she hated hearing people having sex_. But this went on for hours and hours. _Shouldn't they know other people need to sleep?_ But he did have great stamina; she would credit him with that. Then Emma muttered a curse and covered her ears with her pillow, trying to fall asleep at 4am.

The next day she met her neighbor in the elevator, his lady friend from last night was nowhere near him. She sighed with relief. At least she didn't have to bear his inappropriateness today. She kept scrolling on her phone, pretending to be busy, hoping to avoid any conversation with this man. She occasionally peeped at him when she thought he's not looking. In spite of his very improper behavior the previous night, he was good-looking—no, that would be an understatement—devilishly handsome being the correct description.

"I do apologize, Ms. Swan, for ruining your scarf last night." He sounded so sexy with that British accent when he's sober. And Emma was startled by his courtesy. She thought he was a jerk since they first met. _A polite jerk, she summarized_. It sounded a little hypocritical when you offended someone when you're drunk and politely apologize for it the next day.

But she decided not to be so judgmental by saying anything rude. So she just accepted his apology with a smile—the kind of smile which you put on when you didn't want t hurt others' feelings—and added, "it's…fine." _But it was not fine_. That scarf was Neal's present for her celebrating their first month anniversary. It was something she loved and cherished.

"I promise I'll pay for the dry cleaning or even get you a new one when the stain won't come off."

"It's fine, really." Money couldn't buy everything. Everyone should know that. It wouldn't make her feel better if he bought her a new scarf. It could never replace what the old one represented. The elevator chimed and the doors gradually opened, allowing Emma to hurry out as quickly as she could, and soon after the blonde disappeared into the busy street of New York.

Looking at the sight of Emma Swan's back, Killian started to take a liking to this stunning woman. Perhaps one day, he imagined, they could be the perfect couple that everybody envied. He would do anything do have her fall for him. _When he set his mind on something, he aimed to get._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Emma resumed work after taking a few days off to clear her head. She dragged her tired torso towards her cubicle and dropped her purse on the swivel chair.

A voice came from the cubicle next to hers. "How's everything, Emma?" Elsa was worried, not only because her friend hadn't answered any of her calls for the past few days, but she also witnessed her friend's heartbreak on her wedding day. The two blondes were very close to each other. Emma would comfort Elsa when she broke up with her boyfriend; Elsa would offer her opinions when Emma and Neal had a fight. They knew everything about each other. And Elsa was well aware of the effects of Neal's departure on Emma. Emma's heart was beyond devastated. Her heart was broken, completely shattered when Neal left her on the altar that day.

"Everything just… sucks, when Neal's gone." It was the first time she mentioned his name since he left. Her chest still hurt at the mention of his name. On usual occasions she would tell Elsa she's fine, but this time, she couldn't just hide the pain and betrayal she felt from Elsa. Neal left her; the only person that she thought she could lean on was gone. So was the two most important people in her life—her parents. Neal's departure was like picking a scab that was never fully healed. It felt like having her heart ripped out of her chest all over again. "Now I'm just back to being alone."

"You are not alone, Emma. You still have me." Elsa knew that it took time for Emma to recover from her heartbreak, but she wanted to help her friend so desperately. "You wanna come over tonight? I have boxes of your favorite ice-cream."

"That sounds nice, but… won't your sister be home tonight?" Emma knew Elsa was living with her sister, so she didn't want to intrude on Elsa's sisterly time.

"Anna? No, she told me she's going to the movies with Kris tonight. So my place is clear." Anna just started dating this Kristoff guy, whose name Elsa always thought strange. He seemed to be a nice guy though, because Emma had met him a couple of times.

"I assume it's not your lunch break yet, ladies. How about getting back to work now?" Oh shit, it was their boss, Regina Mills. She was a competent superior but sucked at interpersonal interactions. Sometimes Emma wondered how she could manage work and having a teenage kid at home at the same time. "You're not paid to chit-chat in the office." The two blondes resumed their focus on their computer monitor and pretended to be busy with what they're doing. Still having Regina watching over their shoulders, Emma and Elsa exchanged glances and agreed to talk later. "And just so you know, the CEO is coming over to join the interim meeting. I need you two to be on your best behaviors today." The CEO? Nobody had seen the CEO coming to this office. The only knowledge Emma had on this CEO was his gender. All she knew about him was that he lived an extremely low-profile life. It made Emma curious about whom this guy really was. After seeing Regina returning to her office, Emma did a little research on the mysterious CEO, but obviously, to no avail. He had minimized his appearances in social context. There was never once a photo that came up on the newspaper, or any other media for that matter. _This person knows how to avoid media attention,_ Emma thought. Emma shut down the browser and shrugged off the idea of meeting this CEO in person.

Just minutes after the end of lunch break, Emma saw a man wearing a nice dark gray suit came in through the glass door, with three men in black suits following. But she couldn't see his face because his back was facing her. She assumed that with all the men in service, that man must be the CEO of FairFax Corporation. Just as he made a turn for the conference room, a silent curse escaped from Emma's lips. It was Killian Jones, the guy living next to her. How on earth could he be the CEO of a multinational corporation on one hand and live in a cramped apartment flat on the other? She did know that he lived his life under great discretion but she never expected that this enigmatic CEO lived right next to her. As Killian Jones walked past Emma's cubicle, he made a sudden stop.

"I thought it was you upon my entry, Ms. Swan. And it turns out I'm right." Every eye in the office was on Emma. Everybody was wondering what an average woman like Emma Swan had to do with a handsome, filthy rich guy like Killian Jones. And Elsa was just as astonished as everyone else in the office. She never expected her friend to be somehow connected with this charming and one of the most influential men in the States. "I hope you'll excuse my rather improper behavior during our previous encounters." He apologized to her again, as if her knowing the CEO of the company was not awkward enough.

She didn't want to be rude, so she managed to say something in response, "As I said before, Mr. Jones, it's completely alright." All she wanted at that moment was to finish the conversation as quickly as possible.

But she was not given the chance.

"I did promise to get you a new scarf in atonement. I do consider myself an honorable man living by a code, so allow me to fulfill my pledge. Do you have time tonight?" Emma couldn't believe her ears. Was he asking her out? In front of everybody in the office? That was a very bold move, even for a wealthy and powerful man like himself. Emma could hear gasps from every corner of the office. Emma didn't want her colleagues to think of her differently just because she knew the CEO and the fact that he just asked her out.

"I…" Remembering she couldn't risk turning the big boss down, she sighed inwardly, "…do have time tonight." Although she hated the idea of going out with Killian Jones alone, there's no way she could bail on this. He was the CEO of the company she's working in to say the least. She couldn't just outright reject him. She could've lost her job.

"Well then, see you at 7 tonight. Drake here will see to it that you're ready to leave at 7 sharp." He made his way to the conference room after giving her a flirtatious wink. _Oh boy, he's obviously hitting on her_ , Emma thought to herself. But then she wasn't ready to get back in the game yet. At least not four days after the love of her life left her. She told herself not to fall for this man no matter how hard he tried. Not now. Not ever.

But little did she know that one day she would indeed be attracted by this ruggedly handsome man. She just didn't know that then.

* * *

Taking a slack in their secret spot of rendezvous, Elsa went straight to ask about what happened earlier in the office. "Do you have something that you forgot to share?" Elsa was just like a teenage girl hungry for any gossip she could get. If anyone was to get the juicy details about Emma and that charming CEO, it had to be her. After all she was Emma's closest friend. "There's clearly something going on between you and that Mr. Jones that you haven't told me."

"I have no idea what you're implying, Elsa. It's a pity I won't be coming over for ice-cream." Emma was trying to divert the subject into something more innocuous, but failed epically.

"Don't even try, lady. Let's stay back on track. How do you know him?" Elsa just went right for the jugular, leaving no possibility for Emma to stall for time.

There was a pregnant silence between the two blondes, but Emma finally gave in. "He…lives next door." That was an explosive revelation. Elsa never saw that one coming. Not only her friend knew the CEO, but she lived next to him? That was beyond unbelievable. Elsa thought Emma was lying at one point. Elsa remembered Emma said something about her nasty neighbor, but didn't expect that unpleasant man was the CEO of a big corporation. But something didn't quite add up. If he was loaded, why did he live in that crappy apartment complex? Thousands of questions in Elsa's mind needed answers. But sadly, Emma was not the person who had them.

"Next… door? I thought you said he's a jerk, _and a womanizer_ , if I may add."

"Who says a jerk can't be rich and a CEO of a multinational company?" As much as Elsa hated to admit, what she said made sense. "I just never thought he's _that_ rich and owns a huge company." Emma felt some buzzing in her pocket. It's the alarm she set earlier, in case she forgot the time. She dug out her phone, it read 6:45. "I better get back. It's almost time."

"Good luck, girl." That's all Elsa could say to her friend. "Maybe… _just maybe_ , you can get a rebound from Neal." That might be a little blunt, but it was true. Perhaps this man could help Emma get over her heartbreak.

When she got back to the office, a man dressed in a black suit was already standing near her cubicle. That must be Drake. The man was good-looking too, though not as much as Killian Jones himself. He had a strong build and wore a pair of nice sunglasses. Emma supposed he was Killian Jones' bodyguard or something. "Ms. Swan, I'm here to escort you downstairs to join Mr. Jones as per his instructions. He's already waiting in the limo." Limo? _Okay, that was way over the top_. Emma barely knew the guy and now he's expecting her to ride with him in a limo? Emma suddenly got fuzzy about the idea of sitting in the same car with Killian Jones. Quickly stuffing everything into her purse, she straightened her skirt and followed Drake to the elevator.

Emma's thoughts were roaming the entire time in the elevator. She couldn't hear the chime of the elevator until Drake waved in front of her. She was completely consumed by her thoughts. As they made their way through the lobby, Emma could see a black limo parked outside, with men in black suits standing around it. Drake politely held the thick glass door for her easy exit. Emma thanked him and stopped in front of the limo. Honestly she was a little intimidated by all the men in black. But one of them reached for the car door and opened it for her. "Please, Ms. Swan." She clambered onto the vehicle and one of the men in black closed the door beside her and went straight to the driver's seat. Drake took his seat next to the driver before the vehicle started. The other men in black got on the black SUV behind the limo.

As Emma was inside the limo, she contemplated the interior. Leather interiors, built-in bar and a flat screen TV. She also noticed the privacy partition was rolled up. And the non-negligible existence of Killian Jones. An aura of dangerous sensual tension filled the interior of the limo. Although Emma was not ready for another man in spirit, her body was telling her otherwise. Just by being around this overly sexy man, she could feel her inside melting. She hated her body being so honest. But she blamed it on the pregnancy hormones. She had been told that increased sex drive could be a by-product of pregnancy. She didn't appreciate the importance of that piece of information earlier.

"I'm glad to have your company tonight, Ms. Swan."

"Where are we going now?"

"Le Meilleur. Before we go pick your new scarf, I believe a meal would be much appreciated." Not only was he buying her a new scarf, but he's also taking her to the most expensive restaurant in town? _This man really knew how to pick women up_.

"That's a lovely thought, Mr. Jones, but I—"

He stopped her mid-sentence, "No 'buts' please, Ms. Swan. That's the least I can do. Or are you afraid that spending even an extra minute around me you'll find me more irresistible?" He's rich, he's handsome and he's downright arrogant. Did he think that every woman would be beguiled just because he brought them to fancy restaurants and bought them expensive stuff? She's not that kind of women, Emma told herself. She wished she could say that thought out loud, but risking her job doing so? No way. All she could do was tolerate his self-appreciation, at least for the remainder of the night.

Emma squeezed a smile, "Well then thank you for everything, Mr. Jones." A buzz came from his jacket, interrupting their conversation. He had to take this important work-related phone call and told Emma she could help herself to the bar. She took a bottle of sparkling water and savored it while glancing around. Finally, her gaze stopped at the man sitting next to her. The tight-fitting trousers clung to his curves perfectly, displaying how muscular his thighs were. His masculine scent oozing from every movement he made. Sandalwood cologne, Emma recognized immediately. She always loved the smell of sandalwood. She voraciously sniffed his sandalwood scent like she'd been starving for weeks.

"Do I smell that good, Ms. Swan?" Unaware of when he got off the phone, Emma's face blushed scarlet at the awkwardness.

"It's… I… I'm sorry, Mr. Jones." The best she could do at that moment was to apologize.

"Don't be, Ms. Swan. I'm open for any romantic advances." Was he offering her permission to seduce him? Even if he was, it was too much for Emma; she was supposed to get married a couple days ago. She could not fall for another man now. She was just not ready. But strangely, a pool of warm surge gathered at her feminine core. Did she just get turned on by him? With his words and gestures only?

Then he leaned closer and covered her lips with his warm ones. _He kissed her, right there and then_. But oddly, she didn't feel the urge to resist. She actually quite enjoyed it.

What was happening to her?

* * *

 **Thoughts?**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Emma entered her apartment with a delicate paper bag in her hand, recalling what happened in the limo merely hours ago. She touched her lips with her free hand, as if she could still feel the remnants of his warmth on them.

 _How could he kiss her like that?_

The kiss was small and light at first. But it turned into a heavier and passionate one later when his tongue skillfully pried open her teeth, gaining entry. He was a perfect kisser. His tongue masterly slid into her mouth as if he's trying to sip at the elixir of life she had to offer. Emma felt her heart racing, like it almost pounded out of her chest. She responded his kiss by closing the space between their bodies. In their close proximity while sitting in the back of the limo, Emma could see how beautiful his eyes were. Those bright, blue, watery eyes sparkled with desire and need. As their kiss deepened, his restless hands found their way on her waist, and finally rested on her pink cheeks. That was an awakening call. She pulled away from him. Her lips were slightly swollen after their passionate kiss. Once again he apologized for his improper behavior, inwardly reminding himself that he was making a mistake rushing things between them.

Emma blushed at the embarrassing memory of the kiss they shared. Now when she thought about it, she was at the wrong too. She didn't fight him off; on the contrary, she kind of invited him for more. She laughed at her own stupidity. She was playing with fire, mingling with a man like Killian Jones, when she was in such a vulnerable emotional state. She couldn't afford to have her heart broken again, not by a womanizer like him at least. That was why she told herself what happened that night was a mistake, one that she would not repeat again.

 _She was wrong, again. Because Killian Jones was like poison, once you came into contact with it, it remained in your system forever no matter how hard you tried to get rid of it._

On the other side of the wall, Killian Jones sat on his handmade couch, relishing that intimate memory that only Emma Swan and he shared. But what was he thinking? To lose control like that? It was not like him, to be entranced by women so easily. The last woman that made him feel that way was Milah. The relationship between him and Milah blossomed during sophomore year in college. When he met her, they were both at the young age of nineteen. They were madly in love after spending two month's together. He was not her first man, but he never minded that. Because he really loved her for whom she was. He couldn't bear the thought of judging the woman he loved with a past that didn't matter to him. He never told Milah that he was the heir to the chief executive of the FairFax Corporation, the company that his grandfather founded. He realized that was a mistake when she left him for a wealthy jock who was in the college football team. He loved her with all his heart but she repaid his love with nothing but betrayal. She broke his heart. He had never treated any relationships seriously since then, always assuming that his partners would one day betray him like Milah did. He had lost faith in women since Milah left him.

Until he met Emma Swan. Somehow he could feel that this woman was different.

The next day when Emma went back to the office, there was a bouquet of red roses on her desk. "I bet those are from our handsome CEO. Did you have a great evening out?" There she was again, Elsa trying to extract every tidbit of gossip out of her friend. But deep down in her heart, Elsa really wanted happiness for her friend. Neal had done her enough harm. She might as well find another man that could fill the void Neal left in her heart. Maybe it was a little heartless to say this, but having Killian Jones in her life could be a good thing. At least Emma didn't need to worry about Neal getting caught one day. Besides, Killian Jones had more than enough to support her and her baby. If Emma could accept this man, everything would be easier for her. Because by the looks of it, this man already had his eyes set on Emma.

But of course, Elsa wouldn't dare tell Emma her real thoughts.

Emma picked up the pink card inside the bunch. _Hope you had a great time last night. Killian._ Damn it! The last thing she needed at the moment was a reminder of the time she spent with him the previous night. She needed a break from Killian Jones, from everything. So she made her way to the restroom, hoping no one would bother her there. But there came Regina, aka her evil and annoying boss. "Emma, Mr. Jones would like to meet you in the conference room. Now." _Him again?_ Why was he haunting her like a ghost? What was he up to now? Every time his name came up on her mind, the kiss they shared last night kept replaying itself. As much as she wanted to keep the images of him out of her head, she had never succeeded, because he was so damn good-looking and of the fact that he lived right next to her with only a thin wall separating their bedrooms.

Emma pushed open the glass doors of the conference room, only to find Killian Jones sitting with his back to her. "You want to see me, Mr. Jones?"

He swiveled his chair to face her. "Please, Ms. Swan, Killian will do." _Oh boy, that dimpled grin of his_. If she were an innocent school girl, she would've swooned over him. But fortunately she was an adult woman who had good judgment. She would do anything but that, because she knew exactly how dangerous this man could be, _as in "dangerous because he's too sexy"_. She had told herself over and over that she could not and would not fall for this guy, but it seemed that her line of defense was gradually dissociating. Did that mean she's finally starting to get over Neal? She shook her head to clear her thoughts, and focused on dealing with the man in front of her. "Close the doors and have a seat." Emma did what he said, not just because he told her to, but also due to the fact that she felt woozy just by looking at his well-featured face. "I've come here today to seek your help, Ms. Swan." Help? What kind of help could she possibly offer him? She's just an ordinary woman with an ordinary job. What could she be of use to a billionaire like him? Voices in Emma's head told her to calm down and listened to what he had to say. And so she did.

"Please go on."

"My grandfather is suffering from terminal cancer. He had made it clear that he would not rest in peace, unless I have fulfilled his wish. He wants to see me get married before he goes." Killian Jones loved his grandfather a great deal and he would do anything to please him. And this was the old man's last wish before he breathed his last breath. "And in that case, I need your help, Ms. Swan."

"Why me?" Emma was completely shocked by the things she just heard him said. "I'm sure you're seeing—"

He chimed in. "Whatever you're about to say, I can assure you it's quite the opposite. That's why I need you."

"But then you can just have any woman to pretend to be your wife. Why choose me at all?" It was too much for her to digest at the moment, but she's trying.

"Because I like you. And my grandfather would like to witness me signing my wedding certificate so that he can be sure that I'm not pulling off a scam," he sighed, "I can't just find a random woman and marry her. It would cause quite some trouble when the need to divorce her arises later. Proper compensation will be offered to you. I promise that you won't be disappointed. Besides, it'll only last for a few months." He could tell that she's seriously thinking this proposition over. To Emma, financial security was always on the top priority if she had to raise the baby on her own. As much as she hated the idea of marrying the arrogant jerk in front of her, she had to think about the baby. Plus it's only for a couple of months. It's not as bad an idea as she thought earlier.

"Fine. I'll be your fake wife. But there's only one problem…"

"Which is?"

"I'm pregnant."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"That's hardly a problem." The corners of his lips ticked upward. "It's something that would make my grandfather even happier before he goes, him being a great-grandfather. He would die a happy man. If that's the only thing of your concern, my people can deliver the agreement in an hour for our signature." It's all business, Emma thought to herself, nothing to be ashamed of. It's the rational thing to do as a mother to an unborn child.

Emma nodded in consent.

"And for the record, I love babies. I'm quite sure that I would be fascinated witnessing your baby's growth inside that belly of yours." He giggled. That's so not like him. She had never heard him giggle like a child before.

Less than forty-five minutes later, the draft agreement was presented on the conference table. Emma flipped through the agreement. Her gaze stopped at the section titled _Compensation_. He agreed to give her half a million dollars after his grandfather's death. He would give her that much money under one condition—moving in with him until the end of their fake marriage. She thought this thing would be over and she could get the money as soon as they signed the certificate, but now he's asking her to move in with him? That was unbelievable. She didn't have to move in with him to be married to him. Having him living next door was enough trouble, not to mention living _with_ him. But the money was all too attractive. That amount of money would be enough for raising her baby until college. She was tempted to sign the agreement. But the angel's voice in her head told her otherwise. It was wrong to deceive a dying old man, and deep down Emma knew that. She was in a dilemma. Not signing the agreement meant that she might have to take an extra job, which her condition did not allow, but then signing it meant deception, which her conscience did not allow either. This internal struggle was driving her crazy.

The perceptive Killian Jones could tell what she was thinking. "Are you having second thoughts?" Emma nodded weakly. She thought it would be easy to make that decision. But when it came to that moment, a part of her wanted to back down. "Trust me; this is an once-in-a-lifetime offer, Ms. Swan. You'll regret it the minute you turn me down." God, he's making this more difficult than it already was for her. She placed her hand on her still-flat stomach. Then she picked up the high-end fountain pen he dug out from his jacket earlier and signed on the papers. _There's no going back now_ , she told herself. "Great, the deal is closed. You can start packing. You're moving in with me. Tonight."

He got her confused. His apartment was just right next to her. She could always go back to her apartment when she needed anything. She couldn't understand the rush. "It's just moving to the next apartment, I don't think packing is needed."

"Who said anything about moving in to _my_ apartment? You're coming to live with me in my grandfather's house." She never saw that coming.

* * *

A pile of cardboard boxes was sitting near the door of Emma's apartment. She had packed some necessities—clothes, skin care products, vitamins and stuff. When she's going over the virtual list of things-to-pack in her mind, a knock came on her door. She knew exactly who the visitor was—Killian Jones, aka her soon-to-be husband. Because he said he would stop by at eight o'clock. She opened the oak door, inviting him inside. Instead of wearing his tailor-made suit, t-shirt and jeans was his outfit of the day. He was less billionaire-ish when he dressed more casually. _He's a bit more of a guy next door_ _in casual wear_ , Emma smiled inwardly at the pun. "Have a seat while I pack the rest of my stuff." Killian sat on the soft couch in the middle of the living room. Her apartment was clean, not many decorations or personal items. No photo frames sitting on shelves, no paintings hanging on the wall. The place was so impersonal as if she only treated this apartment nothing more than a place to sleep in. As he was indulging himself in the contemplation of her apartment, Emma exited her bedroom with another small box. "I think I have everything I need."

After helping her load all the boxes onto his car, they spent the next hour on the road, heading to the Jones Mansion. By the time they arrived, Emma already fell asleep. Killian looked at the sleeping beauty beside him. He could watch her like that forever, the way her chest was heaving, the slight movement of her tender lips. It was too beautiful to watch. And it killed him for not being able to touch her, as least not in an intimate way between a man and a woman. He gently brushed away the stray locks of her silky hair on her forehand to have a better look at her fine-featured face. He had never looked at her in the proximity this close before, maybe except the time when they kissed. How lucky he was to come across a stunning woman like Emma Swan, Killian asked himself. He then recalled that kiss they shared not long ago. The mere thought of his lips locking with hers and his body pressing firmly against hers was in themselves arousal enough for him. The idea of him doing things with her—or rather, to her—resulted in a growing bulge under his jeans. He let out a silent curse and the sleeping beauty chose that moment to wake up. Realizing that the car engine has been turned off, she embarrassedly asked, "Oh God, how long have I been asleep?"

"Not long. We just arrived." Not wanting to further embarrass her, this was the little white lie he managed. He couldn't tell her that they had been sitting in the car for over an hour after their arrival, because of the fact that he didn't want to pull her out of her peaceful sleep when she clearly needed it. "Let's have a tour of the house, shall we?" He helped her out of the car, and Emma found a man in black suit already standing at the doors awaiting their entrance.

"Sir, Ms. Swan." The man addressed the two of them and Emma was surprised to find Drake here. The man extended his hand in front of Emma. "It's my pleasure to meet you, Ms. Swan. I'm Mr. Jones' personal assistant." He smiled at her affectionately, and Emma smiled back warmly, and they shook hands.

"A _very_ competent one, I might add. Now let's get inside and Drake will make sure the boxes are being taken care of." He led her inside the house. It was way more glamorous than Emma thought. Nicely polished wooden floor, oak staircases on either side of the spacious foyer, many antique vases on display. She grew more astounded as they walked down the hall into the palatial sitting room. The decorations were very impeccable and exquisite. All Emma could think of at the moment was how insanely rich Killian Jones really was. After showing her most of the house, he brought her to her room.

"Oh. My. God. This is…huge, really huge." Emma almost lost her lexicon because of amazement. _Huge_ was the only word she could think of at the moment. Emma was completely shocked at the size of the room she'd been shown. "Just exactly how rich are you?"

"That's a rude way to ask a question, Ms. Swan. But the answer to that question is: _very_."

The room was beautiful. The interior was so perfectly designed. The king size bed sat in the middle of the room. The bed was very nicely cushioned. And it got its own TV set, stereo and all the high-class stuff you expected to find in rich people's house. Emma looked around like a little girl being brought to Disney for the first time. A row of mirrors across the room caught her attention. Seeing the sparkle of curiosity lit in her beautiful green eyes, Killian took her hand and led her towards the mirrors. "Push open and see." Emma placed her hands on the cool material, preparing herself for what she might see inside. With a little push, the mirror door swirled open. It was a built-in closet. And the fact that it was fully stocked shocked her a little bit more. She neared the racks of clothes, feeling the soft feeling of the fabric. _Those must be designer clothes_ , Emma imagined. They felt really good in her hands. Emma never had clothes like those before. And there were numerous pairs of designer shoes on a nearby rack. She hated to say it but it felt good to be rich, even though it'd only be for a few short months.

"These clothes are beautiful," Her eyes glittered with appreciation and excitement. "and very expensive, I imagine?"

"Aye, that's correct. I take it as you like them then?"

"Of course I like them. Women love beautiful clothes. But aren't they for your…dates?" She took out one of the dress from the rack, admiring its design and cutting. "Does it matter I like them or not?"

He took the dress from her hands and palmed her hand with his. "It does matter. Because they are for you. _Only for you_. And I obviously picked well." His lips curled into a devilishly charming grin. Their skin contact sent electricity straight down Emma's spine. It almost felt like… falling in love.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

 _"_ _Neal, can we talk about this please? Don't cut me out. I'm your fiancée. Just be honest with me." She tugged at his sleeve, begging him not to leave. Her parents had already left her, she couldn't bear going through that pain one more time. But he was determined to go. To put this wonderful life behind him, and begin his life as a fugitive. Nothing she said could change his mind._

 _"_ _You know we can't have a normal life when I'm a wanted criminal, Em. You should know that better than anyone else. You won't be happy with me. The least I can do is let you find your own happy ending. One that does not include me." He flung her grasp away and made his way to the door, leaving Emma crying her eyes out._

Something pulled her out of her dream—a knock.

In her half-asleep-half-awake state, Emma heard Mrs. Bird the housekeeper. "Breakfast is ready, Ms. Swan. Mr. Jones asked me to fetch you." She was a nice lady. Emma met her yesterday and she kindly offered to help with the unpacking. Slowly getting out of bed, Emma found her pillow drenched, presumably with tears from her dream earlier. The dream just felt too real. It also reminded her of the day he left her at the altar in humiliation. A sudden surge of emotions caught her off guard. Emma could feel tears burning the back of her throat. The image of Neal leaving crossed her mind. That was when she couldn't hold back her tears anymore. They streamed down her cheeks like water bursting its dam. She slumped to the ground and buried her face in the bed sheet while she cried. "I knocked and didn't hear an answer so I…" noticing Emma was sitting on the ground, Killian rushed to her side, "What's wrong?" At first he assumed that she fell and hurt herself. But when he got closer, he saw her sobbing. He brushed away the tears on her face and held her in his arms, trying to soothe her. "Shh… It's alright. Shh…" With him stroking her back, a sense of comfort and calmness coursed through her veins. Her crying gradually stopped.

He was about to release her, but she grabbed the collar of his leather jacket and resisted to be let go of, in need of more comfort from him. "Can you hold me a while longer? Please?" So they sat on the ground for another fifteen minutes. After freshening up, finally Emma was ready to go downstairs. But her eyes were still reddened and puffy from the crying earlier. When she'd gone down to the dining room, Mrs. Bird was laying plates on the mahogany dining table. The kind lady had reheated her breakfast, and even made her some new pancakes. Emma loved pancakes, especially when she's pregnant. She loved them with maple syrup, _lots of maple syrup_. "Aren't you afraid of gaining weight?" Killian mocked, trying to lighten the mood.

"When a woman is pregnant, it is her justification of eating whatever she wants, because she's eating for two." A laugh came from the hallway. "So I see the lovebirds are bickering, huh?" An old man with a cane appeared in the dining room, and slowly took his seat opposite to Killian and started studying her face. That was Killian Jones' grandfather. The old man had very chiseled features. _He must have been very good-looking in his youth,_ Emma thought, _just like his grandson. An older version of Killian Jones,_ Emma amused at the thought. "I'm glad to meet you, Ms. Swan." Unlike Killian, his grandfather's accent was totally American. She wondered the reason behind the difference. "Maybe you can tell me more about yourself. Killian was talking all about you earlier this morning." The old man smiled at Emma benevolently.

"Grandfather, don't bother the lady when she's having her meal. I promise we'll be ready for your 'interrogation' very soon." In order to display their intimacy in front of his grandfather, Killian placed his arm around Emma's shoulders. An act that would have made Emma feel strange and uncomfortable before, but now on the contrary, she kind of felt safe and secure because of his little gesture. She peeped at the look on his face; he seemed to be enjoying the physical contact between them too.

"Fine then," Mr. Jones the Senior rose from his chair, "I'll be in my room when you need me. I can't wait to get to know my soon-to-be granddaughter-in-law." His lips curled into an affable grin at the thought of an impending wedding of the lovely lady and his grandson. And soon he plodded along the hallway to retreat to his room.

Soon after both of them finished their breakfast, they found themselves in the grand antique bedroom of the elderly man, whom was sitting on the lounge chair reading the papers upon their arrival. He seemed delighted every time he saw the beautiful Emma, and invited her to sit with him on a nearby vintage couch, leaving Killian leaning on the door.

"So tell me, dear, how did you two met?" The old man asked, and Emma recalled the tactless encounter on the night her favorite scarf got ruined. She told him the whole story, deliberately leaving out the part of the female company he had, causing Mr. Jones Sr. to laugh at what he just heard. "This grandson of mine knows a lot of tricks up his sleeves when it comes to women. One hears rumors about him dating whole lot different women, but he's never brought any of them back to see me. At one point I wondered if anything's wrong with my upbringing of him and making him homosexual along the way." Emma chuckled at his remarks and shot a glance at Killian, who was blushing embarrassedly and wondering how on earth his own grandfather could joke about his sexuality. "But at last, he brought _you_ here. That signifies your importance in his life, my dear." There's something about this greybeard. He was a fatherly figure that she never had in her life. No one had ever been this kind to her, not even her own foster parents. "My grandson would never present you to me if he's not serious about this relationship. You two would really make a good couple. He has already informed me about your plans of getting married. But I want your assurance, dear."

"Yes, we're getting married, _soon_ , I hope. Because we're madly in love." Emma blushed with her answer. _Oh boy, she's good at make-believe_. She turned to look at Killian. "Should we tell your grandfather…" She trailed off after taking a quick glance at her stomach.

Killian picked up the hint right away. "Right. Grandfather, we have amazing news in store for you," he paused pointedly, in order to arouse the old man's curiosity. The old man looked at the couple quizzically. "You're about to be a great-grandfather!"

The big news brought color to the old man's face. He couldn't believe his ears. But soon the corners of his lips turned down, because the fact of him being a terminal patient crossed his mind. "I may never see my great-grandchild before I go." That just saddened everyone in the room. "I don't have much time left, this old, dying man here." This sentimental moment brought Emma to tears. "It would be the grace of God if I'm to be given a chance to meet my great-grandchild."

Killian joined them on the couch to comfort the dewy-eyed Emma. "You will meet him, Grandfather. I know you will." Moments later the old man asked for some time alone. Behind the closed door, Killian told Emma, "We're getting married, _within this week_." Emma never expected to seal the deal so soon.

* * *

 **Thoughts?**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Few days after she first set foot in the Jones Mansion, Emma was officially Mrs. Jones after proper arrangements had been made. Now that her ring finger actually had a ring on it, there was no way out of their little scheme, _not until the kind old man passed away_. This always hit her in the soft spot. The old man was more than elated when he saw the young couple signing their wedding certificate. He even beamed more when he saw his grandson slid the wedding band down his lover's finger. One of his wishes was fulfilled, another one to go. His great-grandchild became his will to live. _But it was all a lie_ , Emma reminded herself. _Everything she did was to deceive the kind man_. She didn't know how the old man would react if he ever found out about the scheme she and Killian Jones pulled off. Killian had assured her his grandfather never had to know about this. But the angel's voice in Emma's head was telling her otherwise. She hated this struggle between right and wrong. The old man was so nice to her and her unborn baby. He ordered his men to buy every necessities for the baby, decorate a spare room in the mansion so that the baby could have a beautiful nursery to sleep in, and more importantly, he hired the country's most renowned obstetrician to follow up the progress of her pregnancy. She was grateful for everything he had given her. Which was why she hated herself for not telling the old man the truth. She would break the dying man's heart if he eventually learnt about the agreement between them.

 _Everything just became so complicated after she met Killian Jones_.

After she married into the Jones family, she wasn't allowed to resume her job at FairFax anymore. _My wife does not need to work_ , her fake husband had made it very clear. Emma hadn't seen her best friend since the last time she was at the office. She couldn't even invite her to her private wedding to Killian Jones. She wanted her best friend to be there when she entered the holy matrimony with a man. _Though that man might not be the one she loved_. But still, Elsa was her best friend, and like a sister to her. It pained her heart not being able to ask her to come to the ceremony. One night after lunch, she picked up the cellphone and called Elsa. She knew it was lunch break at the office. She didn't tell her the whole story, just the part where she married one of the richest men in the States, deliberately leaving out pretty much everything else that was going on with her life.

"Hold on a second. You _married_ Killian Jones? How's that possible?" Elsa's voice rose an octave when she received this piece of shocking news. She practically just screamed that sentence into the phone.

"It's… complicated, and difficult to explain to you right now. I'll tell you everything once things are settled. Just know that I won't be coming back to the office for a while." Killian knocked on her door and called her name.

"Is that who I thought he is?"

"Yes, and bye for now. I gotta go." Emma hurriedly hung up and ran to answer the door. "What's the matter?"

"Grandfather has arranged an appointment at Dr. Sanchez's for you this afternoon. Has that beautiful brain of yours forgotten that?" Then he surveyed her clothing, and shook his head. "These clothes won't do you good in the cold. You're too scantily dressed for winter. Let's go pick some warmer clothes so you won't catch a cold while on the street." He entered her room, putting his strong arm around her waist and led her towards the closet.

Fifteen minutes later, Emma was standing in front of the row of mirrors, checking out her outfit chosen by her husband-in-name-only. She stared at his reflection in the mirror and said, "I'm pregnant, not sick. Are these thick clothes really necessary?" She was all wrapped up like a vulnerable vase in multiple layers of bubble wrap. Ignoring her complaint, Killian wrapped a woolen scarf around her neck, as if she wasn't warm enough without it.

"These should keep you warm. Let's get going. I don't want to be late for your appointment." Sometimes Killian Jones could be bossy, stubborn and ignorant.

* * *

As Emma was lying on the examination chair, the ultrasound technician squeezed some gel on her stomach. She instantly felt the cool substance when it came into contact with her warm skin. When the technician located the position of the fetus, the doctor entered the room with a manila file in his hand. The technician handed the doctor the wand before leaving the room. Dr. Sanchez continued gliding the ultrasound wand back and forth on her stomach. The doctor had turned the monitor sideways so that it was facing Emma and Killian. "This little person here is your baby." Dr. Sanchez smiled at Emma, who beamed at the sight of her baby. But then an unwelcoming thought invaded her mind. It was also Neal's baby. The baby of a man who abandoned her and their child. Her grin faded away when she thought of her baby's paternity. "Is anything bothering you, Mrs. Jones?" The doctor had picked up the vibe. His experience of many years had told him that something was off about expectant mother. Reluctant to share her troubles, Emma politely made a denial and asked the doctor to proceed with his examination.

After every possible examination was performed, Dr. Sanchez made a few remarks. "From what I've seen, the baby is in very good shape. But I do recommend you to increase your caloric intake, Mrs. Jones. You're a bit too slender considering your current condition. Other than that, your pregnancy is progressing superbly. And I will see you both two weeks later for another appointment."

They thanked the doctor before they left the clinic. Killian took her to a restaurant nearby, which obviously, was a very expensive one. The table was full of plates before Emma realized he had made too many orders. "How on earth are we gonna finish all of them?"

"Didn't you hear what the doctor said, love?" He had started calling her _love_ when they were officially married, which she found quite annoying. "You have to increase your caloric intake, which can be translated into 'eat more' in English. Everything I've ordered is not oily and very healthy, which is good for you and the baby. Eat up, I know you're hungry after seeing the doctor, because I heard your belly yearning for food." He chuckled, which only made Emma more embarrassed than she already was. "I couldn't let you ask for it."

 _The arrogant jerk was in fact a considerate gentleman. Maybe she was wrong about him before. She liked him a little bit more since then_.

* * *

 **Comments/Thoughts?**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

It was happening again, Emma having dreams about Neal leaving her. She never understood the reason why she continued to have those dreams. Neal kept haunting her even though he was not in her life anymore. She's tired of thinking about this heartless man again. Now that her life had another man in it, _maybe that man was probably not the one she's destined to be with_ , but to say the least, she had someone to be there for her whenever she needed him.

She didn't expect their feelings for each other could grow so rapidly after spending two months together living under the same roof. But sometimes when she sat in her room alone she would ponder what the true essence of their relationship was. Was she developing feelings for him only because of his generous offer of money? Or was it because he took such excellent care of her? She didn't have the answers. She wanted to talk to someone about her troubles, but sadly, she wasn't allowed to do so because of a legal agreement. She couldn't even explain the whole situation to her best friend. Her thoughts were such a mess at the moment so she decided that she needed a break from all of that and thought that a rendezvous with Elsa would help. So she asked her friend out for a shopping spree. Well, she did have a more selfish intention of the trip to the shopping mall—picking out some comfortable maternity clothes, because she just couldn't live with herself when the idea that Killian Jones paid for everything she wanted and needed was in her mind.

The two BFFs agreed to meet outside the mall. So Emma thought she could take a cab and collect Elsa mid-way. But obviously Killian Jones couldn't allow that to happen, because he wanted to make sure that his wife would be safe during a trip to the mall. So he ordered one of the men in black to be the ladies' driver.

Seeing a fancy town car approaching, Elsa couldn't help but exclaimed over how rich the Jones family was. "Oh… my… God!" Moments after she got on the vehicle, "You have your own town car and a driver? That's what insanely rich people have!"

"Killian insisted. He is indeed a great husband." Now that when she came to think about it, playing pretend was not necessarily a bad thing. At least she did have someone who cared. It didn't matter if he was pretending too but someone worrying about your safety really felt good.

"Well, what can I say? You've got the greatest husband in history. Maybe I can find one for myself one day."

"Yes, you will. But not if you don't lose your habit of bossing people around. You're like a queen or something, and that scares men away." Emma teased her friend. "Other than that, you're perfect, dear."

The ride to the mall soon ended in two women's lovely squabble.

While the ladies were browsing different racks in boutiques, Elsa asked, "So it's been ages since the last time we girl-talked, any new juicy details of your married life? I mean the CEO is really hot. I bet he's good with what happens between the sheets."

"Oh, come on El, you need to clean your dirty little mind." Not that Elsa had asked something personal, it's just that nothing of _that_ sort had happened between her and her fake-but-oh-so-sexy husband. They had been polite to each other. Well maybe they had kissed a few times, but they'd done nothing beyond that, so basically there's nothing to tell.

"What? It has been a little while for me so… I want details. _And I mean what I said_." Oh boy, the teenager-Elsa mode had been full-on. And that had made Emma very embarrassed.

"Fine, I'll tell you. _In your dreams_!" That's the only way Emma could think of to hold this topic off. "Just focus on shopping alright?"

"Fine!" Elsa pouted like a little girl. "And you're buying me lunch because you're refusing to share your life with your best friend."

Having just sat down in a bistro, a waiter handed the blondes menus. Five minutes later, they had finished ordering food. "Just let me in on what's happening in your marriage, Emma. You know that it killed me for not being there when you married." That was Elsa's last trick up her sleeve to get her best friend to talk. "At least tell what he's like with you."

Emma exhaled a sigh, "He's really good to me, Elsa. You know when Neal left, I was a total mess, physically and emotionally. But he's there, whenever I need him." Then Emma told Elsa about that time when she cried after thinking of Neal and Killian held her for fifteen minutes. "He's no doubt a sweet and kind man, in many ways."

"Aww… you're so lucky that he appears in your life. Treasure this man, Em, and don't let him get away like Neal did." By the end of that sentence, the waited laid plates of food on their table. Both ladies thanked the waited and resumed their conversation. Amidst their savoring of food, Emma had filled her plate with lasagna the second time. "Slow down on the lasagna, Em, it's your second plate of it. Your baby is super hungry right now, huh?"

"I have to increase my caloric intake per my doctor's instructions. I think that's justification enough to eat more." Emma laughed. "And I've been told that I'm too slender in my condition. So… not gonna stop eating this delicious lasagna." She shrugged after finishing her sentence.

After enjoying their lunch and browsing racks in a few more shops, the blondes decided to call it a day. When Emma said goodbye to her friend, the driver loaded all Emma's conquests from the day into the trunk and then drove her back to the mansion. _What a girls' day out,_ Emma smiled, and soon fell asleep on her way back home.

* * *

 **A/N: This is just something I wrote during a boring lecture. Tell me how you think about it!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

One Sunday morning Mrs. Bird made pancakes for breakfast. The kind lady knew how much Emma loved them, so she made them very often. It might have bored Killian Jones with the never-changing menu but his wife certainly didn't mind. When the couple was enjoying their food, Drake entered the dining room with an envelope in his hand. Emma greeted the well-dressed man before she reached for more pancakes. Drake acknowledged her greeting with a smile and handed his boss the envelope. "This arrived in the office earlier this morning," Drake said before he made his exit. Killian tore the envelope open and pulled out an exquisite card.

* * *

 _Invitation_

You're cordially invited to

FUND-RAISING BANQUET

Hosted by XXX Organization

Saturday March 31, 2016

Cocktail at 6:30pm

Dinner at 7:30pm

1603 Broadway, New York City

RSVP to 917-648-6717 by March 25.

* * *

"Looks like you're going to attend this banquet with me."

Emma stopped chewing her pancakes for a moment. "What? No! I'm not going to that with you."

"Is it because it's me you're attending with or the social occasion which you dislike?"

"I hate this kind of thing, people dressing extravagantly and basically doing nothing besides drinking and talking." Killian was somehow reassured when he knew it wasn't him that made his wife reluctant.

"You're coming with me. It's what being Killian Jones' wife does, making public appearances with me. Look, I wouldn't ask if it's not important." In fact, he lied. That banquet was not important at all. He'd received tons of invitations like this every day, he just never wanted to attend any of them. But this time was different. He wanted to see the woman he liked dressed up like an elegant princess. He imagined she would be very stunning and stealing every man's attention when she stepped into the banquet hall.

"If that's an important event, then fine, I'll go. But what am I gonna wear? I bet every dress in the closet won't fit now. My waistline has expanded exponentially since the start of my second trimester." Her self-tease remark earned his hearty laugh.

"Problem solved. Buying you some new clothes will do." Killian suddenly rose from his chair and walked towards Emma, then used his napkin to wipe the corner of her lips. "I think you left some maple syrup there." He put his napkin on the dining table when he finished. "Let's get moving, shall we?" Later that afternoon, all the couple did was dress-shopping.

* * *

Killian sat on a big cushioned armchair, like a king sitting on his throne, in a designer boutique, watching the salesladies busily serving his wife. Emma was being treated like a queen living in her castle, which she had to admit, it actually felt rather good. One of the salesladies even brought her drinks and snacks while the others scurried around to bring out designer dresses for her choosing. After fifteen minutes of salesladies walking around, one of them brought a black chiffon dress, saying that she thought the dress would suit Emma well. Emma had her hands feel the soft texture of the fabric. Then she eyed Killian, whom signaled her to go inside the dressing room and change. Because of her protruding stomach, it took Emma some time to slip on the dress. When she's done and stepped out of the dressing room, Killian couldn't help but stared at his wife in amazement. She was absolutely stunning, _no, she's beyond stunning_. _She looked divine_.

"I can't tell you how beautiful you look, love."

"Do I look fat in this dress?" She looked at him shyly, almost like she was over-exposed in this dress.

"Non-sense. You're pregnant, love, not fat. To be honest, your pregnant stomach barely shows in this dress." He was telling the truth. The black fabric did well in covering up her pregnant belly. She didn't even look like she's four months pregnant.

Killian turned to one of the salesladies, "Bring in some matching shoes and purses please. We have a banquet to attend." The saleslady nodded before disappearing behind merchandize counters. She reappeared with a handful of purses in one hand and two pairs of heels in another. Finally they decided to have the dress, a clutch purse embroidered with diamonds and a pair of two-inch heels with jewels on top.

After leaving the boutique, Emma asked, "Is it really necessary to spend that sum of money on designer clothing? I'll probably never wear or use them again. You shouldn't be throwing away money like that."

"My wife deserves to have the best I can provide. I insist on that. Besides, I do have extra money to throw away." He charming wide grin made her laugh. _She forgot whom she's married to._ Her husband's Killian Jones, probably the richest man in the United States. Of course he could afford that kind of luxury. Why did she worry about money? She laughed at her stupidity, worrying for nothing. Maybe one day she'd learn how to accept Killian Jones' gifts with open arms.

* * *

The couple arrived in a limo. The vehicle parked outside the Crowne Hotel, the best hotel one could find in New York. Once they stepped out of the vehicle, waves of flashlights hit them, almost blinding Emma's eyes. As they walked arm in arm towards the entrance of the hotel, Killian waved at the reporters and cameramen. Emma whispered into her husband's ear, "I always thought you'd avoid media attention."

Killian whispered back, "You don't know me as well as you think you are, love. You don't know who you're dealing with." By the time their quiet exchange of words ended, they'd already entered the grand interior of the hotel.

At the cocktail reception of the banquet, Killian was busy socializing with his business acquaintances. Although she knew he had to take care of business, Emma couldn't help but feel being left out. She didn't have any friend in his circle, so all she could do was indulging herself in non-alcohol fruit punch the reception served. After sipping her fourth glass of punch, a handsome man approached Emma. "How are you doing this evening, lady?" He greeted her and kissed on the back of her hand. "My name's Will. Will Scarlet."

Emma was totally surprised a stranger just chatted her up. "I'm Emma. Emma Swan."

"What a beautiful name, just like the attractive lady the name belongs to." Will took a sip at his whiskey. "What do I owe to meet a lady like you?"

"I'm flattered, Mr. Scarlet."

"Please, 'Will' is fine."

When Will Scarlet was about to direct Emma to a more secluded corner, Killian redirected his attention to his wife, and found that she's talking to a stranger, _a handsome stranger, if he might add_. A surge of jealousy rose from within his chest. He rushed to her side and wrap his hand around her shoulder. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm her husband, Killian Jones." He offered Will Scarlet his free hand and the two shook hands. "I believe that you should meet a business partner of mine, love," then he pulled her away from Will.

When they were distanced enough from Will Scarlet, Killian spoke to his wife softly, "It's dangerous to talk to someone you don't know, love."

She chuckled, "If I don't know any better, I'd say you're jealous."

"Do not make fun of a man's emotions, love. They say dinner's almost ready. Let's get seated." Not long after the staff started laying out the food, most of which was meat so the greasy smell was filling the banquet hall. That smell really upset Emma's stomach. She was not a fan of meat before, now that she's pregnant, the smell of meat always put her off. She dashed to the restroom as fast as she could in heels, with Killian following. After spending ten minutes in the bathroom stalls in solitary, she finally reappeared in the hallway, so pale that she looked like she'd just seen a ghost. "How are you feeling, love?" She shook her head weakly, then he helped her go back to their table. That night Emma couldn't keep any food down her stomach, all she ate was a salad. Worried sick about her, Killian decided that they should make an early exit so that they went home way earlier than expected. As they made their way out, Will was standing far away at the hallway, watching the couple's departure.

* * *

When they finally arrived at home, Emma's complexion was still very pale, prompting Killian to make sure she's feeling alright. Emma spent the rest of the night sitting next to the toilet bowl, emptying her stomach content into it. Killian was with her the whole time. "I'll have some soup brought up. I hope that will soothe the vomiting. After half an hour of constant vomiting, Emma's throat was so dry that it felt like a fire was burning the back of it, so she got up and went down to the kitchen to get some water. Upon her entrance to the kitchen, she discovered that Killian was busying himself making that soup he promised. Gazing at his back when he's focusing on cooking, somehow Emma was touched. Killian didn't notice her presence until she spoke, "You don't have to do this."

It startled him a bit. "You shouldn't have come down. You should be resting."

"Resting is the last thing I'm capable of when my stomach decides to turn upside down. You don't have to make soup for me," she repeated.

"I insist. I don't want us to be a couple in name only. I want to make sure that you're being taken good care of." It was the first time Emma felt like being cherished by somebody else. Not that Neal didn't take care of her, but she just couldn't feel that when she's with him. She thought she just fell for Killian Jones a little more.

After brushing her teeth, Emma was getting ready for bed. She turned on her iPod sitting on the nightstand, and put it on speaker so that her baby could listen too. Music soon filled the entire bedroom. It was her favorite playlist. When she heard a particular song, tears fell down uncontrollably.

 _And you're here in my heart…_

It was their song—'My heart will go on'. Both Neal and she loved it. _No matter how far he's gone, there's always a place for him in her heart, there's no denying in that._

* * *

 **Thoughts?**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

After making sure Emma was sleeping soundly, Killian went back to his bedroom, which was located at the distal end of the hallway on the third floor, and thought about what happened earlier. _Did he really get jealous? Of a man he never even heard of?_ He laughed at the thought. There's no way he would be jealous of a man with an average face. He's much better-looking than that man was. Jealousy was never in his emotional system. He never had to vie for a woman with another man, _not after Milah anyway_. Countless women throwing themselves at him was a solid proof of that. But then his relationship with Emma had remained stagnant for a while now. He knew she had feelings for him, but he could tell that love was not included in those feelings for now. He had to do something to advance in their relationship. He had absolutely no intention of staying as a couple-in-name only. Therefore he had to come up with a plan that could win her heart. He picked up his cellphone sitting on the mattress and called Drake to make certain arrangements. After he got off the phone with his assistant, he pulled open a drawer on his nightstand and took out a red velvet pouch. It was a gift he bought her the day after she moved in with him. He thought this gift suited her. He planned to give it to her on a special occasion—his grandfather's birthday dinner.

Mr. Jones the Senior decided to have a simple dinner at the mansion due to his illness. It was just him, his grandson, granddaughter-in-law and the staff. In the afternoon of his grandfather's birthday, Killian was pondering what he was going to wear that night. Later he decided that smart casual would do just fine, so he settled on a light blue shirt, a grey sweater and a pair of black trousers. Before he left his room to check on Emma, he put the velvet pouch into his pocket and headed for Emma's bedroom.

He knocked on her door gently before entering. But there was no one here, so he asked, "You here, love?" A reply came from the closet. "Dinner's ready in twenty minutes. Grandfather wants us in the sitting room first," he said, on his way towards the closet. He pushed open the mirror door and found his wife standing in the middle of the room, struggling with the zipper on her blue-striped dress. "Let me help with that, love."

Emma let go of the zipper puller and turned her back to him. "This gets increasingly difficult when you're pregnant." Killian stood behind his wife, as he was doing the zipper, he stared at how flawless her skin was. It was smooth like satin and white as icy snow. As he pulled the zipper up inch by inch, he closed the distance between them slowly, until he could smell the scent of her lavender mint lotion.

When he was finished with the zipper, he turned her around to face him. "I have a gift for you." Then he dug out the pouch in his pocket, and emptied its content onto his palm. It was a necklace with a diamond swan pendant. "I thought it'd look good on you." He helped Emma fasten the clasp of the necklace. When Emma felt the pendant rested on her chest, she raised her hand to feel the shape of it. "It is a swan, love, like your name. This is such a tailor-made necklace for you."

"Wow. Thank you. I didn't expect that." A diamond necklace. He really knew how to please a woman. To be honest she was totally surprised by his gift-giving. The last time she received a gift from a man, she was given a swan keychain, _by Neal._ "I believe that it's a very good-looking necklace, because it's of _your_ choosing."

"I do have taste. In both jewelry, _and women_. Not only did I pick a nice necklace, _I also picked the perfect wife._ " Emma blushed upon hearing his compliment. Then he took one step forward, and hugged her in his arms before lowering his head to kiss her. That had caught her off-guard. Maybe that had happened a few times before, but every time he did it, Emma felt like finding her first love again. Her heart would race like she'd finished a sprint. The kiss was filled with his desire for her, and maybe hers for him. His want to possess her was ever-so intense. He didn't want to let her out of his embrace, but the interruption of Mrs. Bird had left him no choice.

"Oh, Mr. Jones. Please excuse my intrusion. I did not intend to…" She trailed off, trying to avoid the awkwardness. After Mrs. Bird made her exit, Killian gazed at the beautiful lady at one step's distance, "That was one bloody great kiss. I hope I had impressed you with that one." Then his gaze went from Emma's face to the necklace. But both of them knew he wasn't really talking about that fine piece of jewelry.

* * *

"What took you two so long? Were you lovebirds too busy being _'affectionate'_ upstairs?" The old man laughed at the awkward expression on the young couple's faces. "No need to feel embarrassed my boy. Back in the days when I was your age, I was quite enamored of your grandmother. Speaking of your granny, she was quite a blonde beauty herself. Perhaps the interest in blonde women runs in the blood of Jones men." He laughed at his own remarks. When Emma first set foot in the mansion, it did remind the old man of his deceased wife.

After enjoying the dinner, the old man decided to call it a night and retreated to his bedroom, leaving the couple at the dinner table. "Fancy a walk in the yard?" Killian suggested, wanting to spend more time alone with Emma.

"Sure," Emma nodded, "I imagine a walk should help with digestion, 'cause I feel completely stuffed."

"Just wait here while I go get your cardigan. I think it's a little windy outside." _How thoughtful and considerate this man was, Emma thought to herself._

As they were pacing in the yard surrounded by beautiful rose bushes, Emma reflected on the changes in her life after she met Killian Jones. Before this man entered her life, she was just a nobody working in a big corporation. Now she was the wife of possibly the richest man in the United States. A big transformation from _nobody_ to _somebody_. And he had given everything she needed longed for. He comforted her when she's feeling emotional; he hugged her when she had a nightmare; he cared for her when she thought no one else did; he had given her warmth that nobody else seemed to be capable of. And she's well aware of the attraction between the two of them. In fact she had noticed it during their first few encounters. But it was obvious that they could never work out as a real couple—she was carrying another man's baby. A normal, sane man would never want to raise somebody else's child. No matter how much she wanted to give it a go, this baby would always be a barrier to their relationship. Should she tell him how she felt? She shrugged at the thought inwardly.

"Emma? Emma!" That pulled her out of her thoughts. Clearly she didn't hear a word he just said to her.

She immediately apologized. "Sorry, I was thinking about… stuff."

"So I've noticed. What's bothering you, love? You seemed a little… preoccupied. Is something wrong?" Emma shook her head, not wanting to give her husband a piece of her mind. "Please, you know you can share everything with me."

"Look… I'm beat. I want to get some rest." She quickly diverted the subject and scurried back into the mansion, refusing to spend one more second on the conversation, and leaving Killian behind worrying about his wife.

 _She's acting strange tonight, Killian thought, was she having second thoughts about their 'marriage'?_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Upon his entry to his dark, cramped office, Will Scarlet laid down the manila file in his hand on the work desk and slumped into his swivel chair. The label on it read _Emma Swan_. The brooding man flipped open the file containing lots of photos of the blonde inside. As a paparazzi/reporter himself, he had received an anonymous tip about a possible fake marriage between billionaire Killian Jones and some woman named Emma Swan. The man who called it in also told him something about a non-disclosure agreement about their marriage being drafted. Will had only determined to work on this because he thought it would bring him fame and money to provide himself a better life when he could find proof of the said couple having a fake marriage and turn it into an exclusive story to sell. So he had embarked on the task of following the couple around to dig up some dirt on the billionaire's personal life. But Killian Jones valued so much on privacy and security, he had a very tight security detail following him wherever he went, so he directed his focus to the more accessible target—Emma Swan. That was why he was at the charity banquet earlier, because he had received intel that the Jones couple would be attending. That night he had been hiding in corners, taking pictures of Killian Jones and his wife since their entrance to the hotel. Over the course of three weeks following the couple, he had made a shocking discovery that the couple led quite separate lived outside the domestic context. Killian Jones rarely took his wife out to any public events since her one-time appearance last March. They didn't have any common friends or publicly display their affections towards each other either. Totally unlike a couple that had voluntarily entered the holy matrimony. They acted no different than some distant acquaintances to an outsider. Will believed that if he kept digging, some reputation-damaging scandals would come to light.

It was another usual day when Will tailed Emma. He had a mini cam-recorder installed on a necklace he wore, snapping pictures at five-seconds intervals and recording sound at the same time. He tracked her to an exquisite restaurant. He followed her inside. Emma approached the last booth on the aisle. Turned out she was meeting her husband for lunch. He ignored the waitress' direction to a table by the window and picked one close enough to eavesdrop the couple's conversations.

"What would you like to have, love?" Killian asked. "I haven't ordered yet."

"You decide." She gave a clipped reply. "Anything will do." She felt too tired even sitting across the man she's married to. In fact, she didn't want to come out at all, but her husband insisted that it would do her good leaving the house once in a while. _Well, he did have a point_. After being forbidden by her husband to go back to her job at FairFax, she couldn't see Elsa that often. She basically just stayed in the house with boredom eating away her sanity and soul.

Killian waved at the maître d' and made orders. The man in neat black suit made a mental note and retreated to the kitchen.

His hand reached for hers on the table, but she promptly avoided contact. "I don't think too much physical contact in a public setting is appropriate for a couple in name only. What we have is not a real marriage."

Why was she distancing herself from him? He was flummoxed by her sudden change of attitude over these few weeks. She had welcomed his touches and kisses at first. Their first kiss in the limo was enough proof. Back in the limo, he knew she wanted more than just a kiss. He knew her body ached for more. He could see the desire she had for him sparkled in those breath-taking green eyes of hers. Their physical attraction to each other remained strong as ever. But why was she abhorring his touch now as if he disgusted her? He retracted his extended arm, still perplexed over her decision to avoid him and trying to make sense of her actions. They finished their lunch in an awkward silence, unaware of a fiery storm heading their way…

 _Couple in name only… Not a real marriage…_

Still sitting at his table, Will pondered the conversation he had just heard truly meant. That had somehow confirmed his suspicion about billionaire Killian Jones wedding a convenient bride with unknown intention. But he would need more to turn this into an explosive exposé of his private life and a shocking headline on every paper in the States. _This juicy scandal, Will thought, might be Killian Jones' downfall and his path to a better life with money and fame_.

Their ride back home was an awfully silent one. Emma was staring outside the window the whole time, not displaying one bit of interest to talk. Before they parted different directions to their respective rooms, Killian couldn't take this any longer. He grabbed her by her arm, turning her around. "Why do you keep pushing me away like you did this past month, love?" It pained her to hear his endearment when she knew they would never work out as a real couple.

"I'm not pushing you away. Maybe we are not as close as you think in the first place." _Said the woman he had kissed numerous times._ He couldn't believe she said that. It felt like having his heart ripped out of his chest. He didn't know that was how she felt about their relationship. She broke away from his grasp and headed towards her room without one backward glance, leaving the man with a harmed ego behind.

Emma closed the door behind her, feeling tears welling up in her eyes, on the verge of streaming down her cheeks. He had absolutely no idea how hard it was for her to say those words. She knew those words were hurtful but she forced herself to say them knowing that she couldn't afford another heartbreak when she had an emotional bond too strong with another man and the hurt it'd bring when their relationship had to come to an end. She already experienced that with Neal. She wouldn't let history repeat itself. Building up walls around her heart and pushing away the man she adored should feel so much better than having herself getting hurt all over again. The less she got attached to him emotionally, the easier it would be for her to walk away from the life as the wife of Killian Jones when their 'arrangement' had to end. _She was certain of it_.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

People said that the second trimester would be a happier one, with morning sickness finally subsiding. But that definitely did not apply to Emma's case. Her morning sickness had worsened and was not confined to mornings only. What's worse of it was the heartburns that came along with the constant vomiting, causing her to toss and turn every night. But she tried very hard not to let Killian pick up on little signs of her sickness. Because she knew she would not be able to not fall for him more when he got worried about her. She could not allow herself to take another emotional step towards Killian Jones. She had to keep him at arm's length to avoid getting hurt. But she really wanted someone to hold and soothe her when she felt sick. She laughed at her ambivalence. Maybe her pregnancy was doing something strange to her mind.

Killian sat in the Queen Anne armchair beside his king-size four-poster bed, thinking about her wife's recent changes. Was her pregnancy causing her to act so out of sorts? He heard that women could become irritable and moody during pregnancy. But his wife was not displaying those emotions. _He'd rather she did_. _She was not displaying her emotions at all_. She had been emotionally distant from him in the past month. Was it something he did or said? But he couldn't recall any mistakes on his part. They had treated each other like normal friends would. Maybe he had stepped out of the line when he kissed her. But then she was as passionate as he'd been when their lips locked together. There was no doubt that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. No matter how hard he tried to give a logical explanation to her actions and attitude. He had failed. He just wished she'd tell him what was happening between them.

Elsa had called her best friend to check on her. After all they hadn't met each other in almost three weeks. "How is the little one doing?"

"So no 'How are you doing, Emma'?" She could not hide the disappointment in her voice when her friend called. "I'm doing just fine." She replied as if the question had been asked.

"I know you'd be fine. I have faith that your hot husband takes great care of you." Emma's stomach fluttered at the mention of her husband. She looked down at her protruding bump. Her baby's birth father had already given up the paternal role. Was she going to deny her baby a fatherly figure too?

"Emma, you still here?" There was a lot going on in her mind so she lost track of what her friend had said. "The point is to rest as much as you can. Got it?" Elsa said in her definitive tone. "Regina's coming. Gotta go!" Then the call went disconnected. To be honest Emma wasn't listening at all, her mind too busy shutting out images of Killian Jones.

* * *

Emma had arrived at the hospital for another appointment with Dr. Sanchez. She didn't tell her husband because she knew he would drop everything important just to go with her. But more importantly, she knew her body would lose control in his presence. Her body would crave his gentle touch. _She didn't want to lose control_. So she borrowed a car from the garage and drove herself for the doctor's appointment. She'd gotten her license even though she couldn't afford a car, just in case it'd come in handy. She thought some alone time was what she would enjoy. So there she was, sitting in the waiting lounge by herself and waiting for her name to be called by Dr. Sanchez's assistant.

"Mrs. Jones! It's lovely seeing you again!" The kind doctor greeted Emma zealously, and instantly noticed her husband absence, but decided not to say anything about it. The doctor waved a hand towards the armchair. "Please take a seat." Both of them took their seats. The meeting had started off with some general questions about changes in eating habits and frequency of morning sickness. When she complained about the round-the-clock vomiting, the doctor just stroked his beard and listened attentively. This was probably the longest conversation she'd had in the past month. It felt good having somebody listen to her.

"May I recommend you try some herbal tea?" The kind man suggested at the end of his patient's complaint. "Some women find herbal tea soothing their morning sickness." The blonde nodded as she listened, and stated that she would try it sometime. "Let's take a look at your baby, shall we?" He motioned for Emma to go over to the examination chair. Not long after Emma found herself fixated at the monitor—her baby sucking his or her thumb. The sight of it melted her heart. This was her baby. Hers only and nobody else's. Emma left the hospital with an ultrasound picture Dr. Sanchez had a technician made for her. She smiled at it and headed to where she parked the car.

Will got into his car and hastily started its engine when he saw Emma Swan pulled her car away from the hospital parking lot. _Killian Jones was not with her, he observed_. Why he hadn't come with her if he's such a loving husband? They definitely did not look like a happily married couple. He continued following her onto the highway, wondering where she would go next.

Emma had noticed she was being followed since she left the hospital. She could see a black SUV tailing her in the rear view mirror. Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, she stepped on the accelerator hoping to get rid of her stalker. But her wish did not come true. Her stalker had his vehicle speeded up to catch up with her. She nervously looked in the mirror, but hadn't noticed a truck coming her way…

* * *

 **Thoughts/Comments?**


	12. Chapter 12

****This chapter is M-rated!****

 **A/N: Sorry for the wait but a new chapter is here! So because of the hiatus I decided to write some M-rated stuff (my first time writing it!) to soothe my fan girl heart. I hope you'll find this one fun to read. Leave some comments to let me know how I did!**

* * *

Chapter Twelve

Everything went still when Emma finally opened her eyes, not knowing how much time had elapsed since she last closed them. She could see numerous feet through the car window. That was when she finally made out of the current situation she was in. The car had hit the roadside rail and flipped over. Somebody called 911 and the paramedics had removed her from the vehicle. When she was being pulled out, the afternoon sunlight dazzled her eyes. She felt blood trickle down her cheek from a gash in her temple. Strangely enough, the fluid felt salty when it reached the corner of her mouth. She had no idea she was crying. Before she was transferred to the ambulance in the stretcher, she felt the urge to close her eyes again too strong to dispel.

Killing Jones accidentally spilt his coffee over some importance documents. Letting out a vicious curse, he placed some tissue paper to absorb the brown fluid, avoiding further damage to the papers. His phone chose that exact moment to ring, distracting him from his cleaning task at hand. "Yes, this is he." He answered the call without hesitation, even though the caller ID was unknown. "Yes, I'm her husband. What is this about?" The woman at the other end asked him about Emma. His wife was staying home as far as he knew. What was the call really about? That He did not know.

"I'm afraid your wife has been involved in a car accident." He swore he could feel his heart skip a beat when he heard the terrible news. After hanging up the call, he punched Drake's number to arrange transportation to the hospital Emma was staying in.

Fifteen minutes later Killian was already sitting at his wife's bedside, gripping her hand praying she would wake up soon. The doctor had informed him that his wife's condition had stabilized but they couldn't know more until she woke up. He had been assured the baby had not sustained injury of any kind. _What a huge relief to him_. But the woman he cared a great deal about was still unconscious, looking as pale and lifeless he thought impossible for a human being. His emotions were in a state of chaos at the moment. He didn't want another woman he loved gone from his life. He could not let that happen. Because he loved her from the bottom of his heart, more than anything, although he had considered himself incapable of this strong feeling after losing Milah.

"Killian?" She had come back to him. Thank God for that. "Is our baby alright?" She called her baby theirs. He was confused. Maybe she finally realized her true feelings for him. The way she was staring at him with her sultry green eyes made him believe her feelings were indeed genuine.

"The baby is perfectly alright. The doctor's made sure of it." He repeated the doctor's words to her, reassuring her that nothing bad would ever happen to her or the baby again. Emma raised his big hand covering hers and kissed the back of it. "I'm just glad you're here." She was so different from the person she was merely days ago. She had avoided him for almost a month. And yet here she was initiating physical contact with him. _Why the sudden change of heart?_ Killian was left at a complete loss. But he had nothing to complain about. This was the woman he fell in love with at first sight. The bright and beautiful Emma Swan. He finally got her back.

* * *

Since the accident Killian had taken time off to be with his wife. She had believed that they married out of love and a baby had been resulted from that love.

Emma was feeling loved by her husband. She would call her best friend every day to share how her husband would spoil her. Killian had given her what she wanted. But she wondered why he did not show his love for her like a man who really adored his wife. _Was it because she's pregnant? Was he afraid to hurt the baby?_ But a man with a high education background would know better.

She had decided to seduce her husband. _Tonight_.

She picked one of the negligee hanging inside the closet. One with deliciously see-through lace. The soft fabric under her breasts was spilt into two halves, revealing her football-size bump. To avoid measuring gazes from the house staff, she put on a Turkish robe to cover her sexy outfit, and went to her husband's study.

She knocked on the oak door before yielding permission to enter. Her husband was still working late hours in his home office. She smiled at the glorious sight of her diligent husband. He was in his pajamas—a grey T-shirt and black cotton pants. But the loose T-shirt could not hide his muscles underneath. "Working hard huh?" her husband lifted his hear to meet her gaze.

"At this time of night, you should be resting, love."

"Care to join me?" she undid the knot on her robe and shrugged it off, letting it fall into a pool of fabric on the carpeted floor. He couldn't take his eyes off her from that point onward. She went around his work desk and swiveled his chair to make him face her. Pulling him up, she plastered her body to his and pressed her lips onto his warm ones. A moan came between his lips as the desire she aroused in him was coming to life, as evident by the growing bulge under his pants. _Could he hide his need and hunger for her any longer?_ He doubted he could. Lust had taken control of his rational mind. He returned her kiss with passion she hadn't expected. Primeval want sparkled in his eyes. He deepened the kiss with his tongue sliding past those luscious lips and gained entry inside. Then with a swift motion, he swept her up high against his chest, yielding a squeak from the blonde, and carried her towards the master bedroom.

He gently settled her on the nicely cushioned bed. Tonight's the time when he finally got to share a bed with his wife. He stripped her of the only garment she had on and threw it on the armchair nearby. Before he laid his fingers on her flawless skin, he started to untie the knot on his cotton pants. But she stopped him. "Let me," she whispered. Then she removed his garments in agonizingly slow speed.

Now both of them were rid of clothing. Killian savored the grand picture of his wife one last time before lowering his head to cover the part where she needed him most. Before he dived into her female heat, he muttered to her, "I love you." The sudden expression of emotions was unexpected by Emma. She then flashed a grin in acknowledgement. "Then show me how much you love me."

He started planting feather-like kisses on her tender lips, then all the way down to her protruding stomach. He tilted his head one last time to meet her gaze before he continued their sensual voyage. He stopped his kissing to admire her luring body figure her pregnancy had given her. He palmed one of her breasts and sucked the other, making a soft moan escaping her mouth. Just as he finished with her breasts, he trailed his fingers on her body, and stopped when he reached the apex of her thighs. He thumbed the sweet spot of her most feminine and private part, causing her to squirm in pleasure beneath him. Then he slowly slid one finger inside, the tightness of her channel did nothing but turned him on even more. She yanked his hair when his finger worked inside her, eliciting moans like divine music to his ears. She felt his finger crooking inside her, leaving her wanting more.

"Please, Killian." Her desire for him was no less than his for her. His masterful ministrations only woke her long-asleep desire for men. Picking up her cue, he positioned himself between her thighs. Not sure if she could take the entirety of him, he slid his length into her slowly, inch by inch. But that did little to help with the fire of lust and desire he lit inside her. When he knew she could indeed take all of him, he started to move, pulling out almost entirely before plunging back in again. He loved the way her inner walls surrounded him. Her tightness and sensitivity were his gateway to heaven. After minutes of thrusting, he could feel her convulsing as waves of pleasure attacked her. Her walls clenched him more tightly, indicating her release. That made him groan in indescribable pleasure. Moments later he deposited his thick seeds inside her, marking the end of their sensual feast.

He pulled away from her body and with a swift roll, he was lying beside her, both of them spent from the physical strenuosity.

That was their first time. Right there and then. He finally felt they were a real couple. _Oh how much he wished the emotions she experienced were true_. But the more he thought about it, the guiltier he felt. He was taking advantage of her. What he did was morally wrong.

But then _she_ was the one who seduced _him_ into this. He shouldn't be the only one to blame.

Although he wanted them to stay as they were, he wanted her to fall in love with him because she wanted to, not because of some trickery. _What happened earlier that night was a one-time thing, he swore silently to himself_.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Since that night they had become truly husband and wife, they shared the same bed but never did anything beyond. In fact, Killian was trying to keep an arm's length between Emma and himself because he thought the passionate night they shared earlier was a mistake that mustn't happen twice. But then she needed him to comfort her. She would wake up in the middle of the night screaming because she was having nightmares about the accident. Every time when that happened she would end up crying and telling him how much she feared something would happen to their baby. There's nothing he could do except reassuring her and holding her tight until she fell asleep again. This had happened too many times after the accident, and Killian was starting to get worried. One day he decided to consult the doctor about Emma's situation. The doctor had assured him that this was only a display of psychological stress and there's not much he could do to help. At the end he just prescribed some medications to help soothe her emotions.

It was finally time for Killian to return to the office and take care of business. Although as much as it pained him to leave his wife at home while he worked, it was his responsibility to safeguard the company his grandfather founded and passed it on to him. He went to work after breakfast with his grandfather and wife. But he didn't leave before giving his wife a goodbye kiss on the forehead. The older Jones grinned at the sight of the loving young couple. After the young man left, grey-haired Jones invited Emma to have tea in the library, where all the family photos were being stored. While the house staff was busy serving them tea, the old man took out an exquisite photo album from one of the shelves, and handed it to Emma. "This album has every photo of my grandson when he's younger. Just thought you'd be interested in his life."

Emma took the heavy album with both hands and flipped it open. Her gaze stopped at the picture of a little boy, with a stunning blonde woman standing beside him. She pointed at the picture and asked, "Is that…?"

The old man glanced at the photo, "Yes, that's my grandson and his mother with him." She never thought Killian's mom was such a beauty. _In fact, she barely knew anything about her husband's family_. He never told her about his family. She stared at that cute little boy in the picture. Those blue eyes seemed to be staring back at her too, oh and the innocent smile of his. He was such a cheerful child. _How come he turned out to be a brooding man after twenty years? Emma asked herself._

Just as she was looking at photos of her husband. One particular photo caught her attention. Killian was with another man in that picture. Both of them looked about the same age. That man seemed very familiar to her. As she was pondering over the photo, a splitting headache struck her like lightning and she dropped the album on the ground.

"Are you alright, my dear?" The old man asked with a concerned tone.

"I'm fine. But… I think I'm gonna lie down for a bit." She then retreated back to her room, trying to figure out where she had met the man in that picture, despite the unbearable headache she's having at the moment.

* * *

Killian loosened that tie that had been around his neck for more than 15 hours. Paperwork was piling up faster than the speed of light. There had been tons of proposals awaiting his signature since his absence from work. Drake was certainly a wonderful personal assistant, who was taking care of everything during his leave. Once he's home the first thing that came to his mind was a hot bath in the tub to relax his tense muscles because he's been sitting behind the desk for too long. After finally enjoying that hot bath, he entered his office to finish up some more paperwork before calling it a night, and to his surprise, his wife was sitting on the swivel chair waiting for him, with a photo in her hand.

"What are you doing up at the time of night?" He took a quick look at the antique clock sitting on his work desk. "It's already ten past twelve. You need to sleep. _The baby needs to rest too._ "

"I have something to ask you." She showed him the photo and asked, "Who's this man standing beside you? I think I know him somewhere but I just can't remember."

That was an interesting question coming from his wife. "That's Neal. He's my best buddy from school. We'd known each other for quite some time."

The name sure did ring a bell for Emma. _Neal… That's an awfully familiar name._

That's when she finally remembered. All her memories came back to her at that instant. _The man she's married to was her ex-fiancé's best friend, and the worst of it was that they'd slept together!_

"Oh God. You know Neal?" Her voice rose an octave and she sprang up from the swivel chair out of shock. "That's impossible. He never mentioned you." In a great state of shock, doubt and disbelief, she stepped back from the desk in an attempt to distance herself from Killian, and knocked down a vase in the process. Luckily he grabbed her arm and prevented her from stepping on the broken porcelain fragments. "Be careful. The last thing I want is you hurting yourself."

But she flung his arm away. "Don't. I need something to process this."

Noting the sudden change of her attitude, he couldn't help but get confused. "I don't understand this. Why are you overreacting over this?"

She hesitated for a minute, then went on to explain. "That best friend of yours... was my fiancé, _who abandoned me at the altar on our wedding day._ " She felt drops of tears fell down her cheeks just as she finished the sentence. _That was her darkest secret and she just shared that with her fake husband…_

* * *

 **A/N: I know this is a long wait since the last update but still, let me know how I did/how you think of it. Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

The thing he hated the most was seeing her crying. So he raised his hand to brush her tears off. But she avoided his touch. He wasn't surprised at her reaction.

"You mean you're previously betrothed to Neal?" Killian couldn't mask the disbelief in his tone. Although he and Neal had known each other since high school and remained close friends afterwards, he never mentioned anything about his girlfriend or his engagement to be married. They were best buddies and yet Neal never shared his personal life with him. Sense of betrayal rose from within his chest. And there was too much information he had to digest for the moment, it raised too many doubts in his mind. He raised his hand to massage his forehead, trying to make sense of her words in the meantime.

Emma nodded in response. "Does that mean I somehow stole my best friend's wife?" He asked embarrassedly.

"In case you weren't paying attention, he left me at the altar. _He never got to the part to say 'I do'_. So technically you didn't steal anybody's wife." Emma rephrased herself. It was so embarrassing for her to say that out loud again. _But that happened._ Neal did abandon her in front of everybody else, _at their own wedding._ She would've hated him less if this whole thing happened in private.

"I'm so sorry, love. I had no idea…" He could not possibly imagine the hurt and humiliation his friend brought her. He wanted to hold her when he heard about her suffering, but he knew she'd push him away— _like she always did_ —so he refrained himself from doing so. "Neal was always a good friend to me. But he seldom shared his problems with me. I didn't even know he was going to marry somebody. _You_ , to be exact."

"It all happened in the past. There's no need to bring it up over and over again. That'll only bring more hurt." She sounded so desperate when it came to Neal.

Kiliian glanced at the clock and the hands on the clock indicated one o'clock. Killian decided that there's enough discussion about the topic. "It's getting late. Go to bed, love. We'll talk about this later." He tried to usher her back to her room—now that she remembered everything, he couldn't have her sleep on the same bed as he was, could he? —but she resisted.

"You know, there's not much left to discuss. One simple sentence can conclude the whole situation. You married and slept with your best friend's pregnant ex-fiancée." When she put it like that, it almost made him believe that she was trying to deny everything they shared. _That fiery kiss they shared in the limo, for example_. That instant when she said it, she regretted it. Somehow she felt that it would hurt him. But what's done is done, she couldn't take her words back. Despite his connections with her ex-fiancé, he did everything he could do provide the best her and her baby. He didn't deserve her harsh words. "Sorry, I didn't mean…"

"No, no, no, it indeed was the truth." His ego seemed harmed already, making her even guiltier. "But that doesn't change where we stand. You pretend to be married to me to please my grandfather, and you get half a million in return."

Suddenly the door of the office swung open. "So this is just an act to deceive a dying, old man?" The owner of the voice was in such a rage that his voice was almost echoing in the spacious room. He walked slowly towards the couple in shock.

"Grandfather! I didn't know…" He panicked at the sight of the old man.

"Shut the hell up, Killian." He was so angry he'd lost his manners and his word choice became offending. "I thought you 're better than this." His glare then found its place on Emma. "And I didn't think you'd play along. I was so foolish to believe you two." He raised his cane and swung it in Killian's way.

Killian didn't move, he deserved it. "It was all my idea. She has nothing to do with it." He was the one who came up with the plan, Emma shouldn't be to blame too.

When she saw him taking that blow and heard him defending her afterwards, she felt guilty. They were in this together. They even had an agreement signed! But the old man was in no mood for further explanation. "Get. Out. Of. My. House." He uttered word by word, revealing his anger and disappointment towards the couple. "I don't want to see either of you now."

They never would have thought their little scheme would backfire like this.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

The old man expelled them out of his house. Before he asked his bodyguard to throw them out of the mansion, they had a little time left to make a trip back to their rooms to gather some of the valuable belongings—including the keys to their respective apartments. They had nowhere else to stay for the night so their apartments seem to be the most promising places. As he drove the two of them back to the apartment complex they used to live in, neither of them was in the mood of initiating a conversation. After a long time of silence, Emma was the one who broke the silence.

"I'm sorry that it turned out this way." She tried to make him feel better. But that had no apparent effect on his current mood. He had given no answer. He was still the brooding driver as he was fifteen minutes ago. But she was not giving up of the subject just yet. "So what happens now? Do we go back to our separate lives or what?"

"I'm not divorcing you." This time he gave his answer. "When I read the wedding vows in front of my grandfather, I made my commitment to take care of you. And I damn well intend to keep it." His words somehow made her heart fluttered. He did not see her as a tool to get his inheritance, but a woman he wanted to spend his life with. Emma smiled at the thought. After all they had been through, he still held to his commitments and wanted to take care of her. He was indeed an honorable man, a man whom she had come to adore throughout the past few months. She didn't know if it was appropriate for her to think of her ex-fiancé's best friend as a potential romantic interest, but it sure didn't hurt to have a friend like Killian Jones. He would really make a loyal and caring friend. And that's what she needed at the moment.

"But I shouldn't be your responsibility. I can go back to my job and support myself." That's something she really wanted—to go back to the office and meet her colleagues, especially Elsa.

"Now you're talking nonsense, love. Remember what I said? My wife does not need to work. Just because I got kicked out by grandfather does not make me a bankrupt. I still have my funds." He particularly emphasized his last sentence. At the meantime, the vehicle had stopped in front of their apartment building. As he walked her to her door, he kept telling her to call if something came up, and that he'd be coming over every day. And she did not protest.

* * *

A few days had passed, Killian still acted like the perfect husband who would bring all sorts of groceries to her place and cook her meals every day. Just as they're having a simple dinner of meatball spaghetti, Killian received a call from Drake. He excused himself to take the call, but only came back ashen-faced.

"What happened? You look… worried."

"Drake just called. Apparently, grandfather has made an announcement that I will be stepping down as the CEO of FairFax, and all my accounts are frozen for the time being. So I'm left with my car only. And Drake, of course." He never expected his grandfather would do something like this. It seemed like he underestimated the old man's wrath. He lowered his head in frustration. "Now I'm broke." She could sense his desperation in his words. And honestly she didn't know how she can help him. Now that his position's no longer available for him, her position would be gone too, she suspected.

"We'll get through this together." She held his hand, feeling it trembling underneath her. "I still have money so we won't starve. But we need to get ourselves a job." He raised his head to meet her gaze. This woman was offering all she had to help him. He was beyond grateful to her.

"Are you sure you want to do this? Staying with me when I am no longer able to give you what I promised?"

"At least you didn't choose to leave me when you're in trouble. A couple stays together to brave any storms ahead. But Neal did the opposite. He thought leaving me was giving me the best chance I deserve, but no, it wasn't. So I'm gonna be there for you until it's all over."

"Thank you, love." He kissed her on her hand. But she didn't avoid it this time. Maybe she just thought he's too vulnerable right now so she couldn't retract her hand right away, he summarized.

Realizing that their dinner had been lasting for over two hours, Killian decided it's time for Emma to get some rest. "Take a shower and go to bed, love. I'll do the dishes." He would get all domestic when he's with her. Playboy Jones in the past would never have done any of that for his girlfriends. But he loved doing chores for her. It actually felt good to be committed to take care of that one person you chose to spend your life with.

And Emma enjoyed being taken care of. So she left Killian with the dishes and headed for the bathroom. As the hot water trickled down her body, she closed her eyes and her temporary stay at the mansion crept its way into her mind. She was happy when she was living with the Jones. His grandfather was so nice to her that it felt like he's her own family. He had given her his unconditional love, and treated her like his own granddaughter, but all she did to him was lying and betraying. She hated herself for it.

When Killian had finished drying the dishes, he heard a yelp coming from the bathroom. He rushed to the door and tried turning the knob, worried about what happened to his wife. Luckily for him, Emma forgot to lock the door before entering the shower. He entered the bathroom, "Are you okay?", but he instantly knew that it was totally inappropriate for him to barge in like that. He flung his head around, trying hard not to peek. "What happened?" He asked again and approached the shower cubicle with his eyes firmly shut.

"The water… it just turned cold in a sudden. I think there's something wrong with the water heater. Can you take a look at it later?" She was feeling as awkward as he was. She slid open the cubicle door and went to get her bath towel. After she had wrapped it around her, "you know, you can open your eyes now. I'm not naked anymore." Killian nodded. "Just check if it's not working. Thanks." Then she retreated back to her room.

After fifteen minutes or so, Killian entered her bedroom, "Warm water just won't come out no matter how many times I tried, so if you want to take a nice shower, you'll have to do it in my apartment." He felt embarrassed inviting Emma to shower in his place.

"That won't be a problem. We've been living under the same roof for months." She grinned at him. "What's another few days?"

* * *

 **A/N: My finals are almost over so I probably have more time for more updates in the coming few weeks (YAY!) And remember to tell me how you think of the story/chapter! Thanks for reading!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: So after Chapter 15 I was kinda lost as to how to write the following chapters, and combining many others reasons, it took me so long to finish a chapter. Don't give up on this story just yet.**

* * *

Chapter Sixteen

Emma finally had her water heater fixed. That's one thing off her plate. But still she had tons of other stuff to worry about. _Killian Jones, for one_.

He had been cut off financially, and she needed money to support the baby and herself. Without a job, she and her baby would land in poverty soon. But as much as Emma knew they both need to secure employment, no one would actually hire a six-months-pregnant woman and a former billionaire. She had been looking for a job for almost a week. But most of the time she didn't get any reply from potential employers. If she was lucky enough to get an invitation for an interview, when managers saw her 'condition', they would tell her to wait for their call. Emma knew she was less competitive than other candidates, but she didn't know it would be that hard to find a job. She wasn't hoping to make big money. She just wanted a decent job. But why was it so difficult? Emma returned home from the company she was having an interview at. Before she entered her apartment, she knocked on Killian's door, but there's no response. _He's not home, Emma thought, with slight disappointment._ She threw her purse on her bed and sat in front of her computer, beginning yet another job-hunting afternoon.

Having spent God-knows-how-many hours surfing the Internet searching for possible employment, Emma heard the knob of her apartment door turned. _The sign of Killian's return._ They had given each other their apartment keys just in case. "I'm back, love," he found her in her room, "how's your day?" When he neared, Emma smelled a faint scent of liquor oozing from him.

"Have you been drinking in daylight?" She suddenly became irritated at the thought of him spending time drinking while she was out desperately trying to find a job. "I can't possibly tell you how disappointed I am right now."

As she was on the verge of storming out of the room, "Calm down, love. I wasn't drinking. I got myself a job at a bar." Although he was wrongly accused of something he hadn't done, he maintained his composure and explained the situation to her. "As a frequent drinker and liquor lover myself, I always fancy employment at a bar. Sadly due to my position before, I could do no such thing. So I'm a bit excited for my new job!"

Emma was taken aback by his honest answer. She soon regretted her lashing out earlier. She wasn't that hot-headed before. She had been a person who analyzed everything before taking action. Perhaps the pregnancy had changed her without her knowing it. "Well, I… um… I'm sorry. I didn't…" Her tone hinted a bit of remorse.

He pulled her into his arms, not because he was trying to comfort her. He just felt a need to. And this was something she didn't expect. "It's okay, love. I don't blame you." And he tightened his grip around her, so much so that he seemed not wanting to let go of her again. Emma was so shocked that she didn't even respond until he released her and took a step back. Finally realizing what he was doing, "I'm sorry," he looked at her apologetically. "I shouldn't have done that. So have you found anything yet?" He quickly diverted the subject to avoid further embarrassment.

She sighed. "I thought people would be less discriminative towards pregnant women entering the workforce. I'm never gonna get a job until the baby's born!"

He shared her frustration. "Now that I have a job, you don't need to worry about not having a job. I won't let you _or your baby_ starve, love. That's a man's responsibility, _to bring home the bacon_."

He took on another commitment to her. Just as she kept thinking how good this man is, he just got better and better. It's something Neal didn't have the courage to do. Instead of making things work between them, he just left her for good, without even saying a proper goodbye. The fact that Neal and Killian grew up together but turned out to be so different astonished her. She didn't know if this was the very reason why she once fell for him. Killian Jones was so much different than Neal. When Neal left for because he thought he was giving her her best chance, Killian would stand by her side during difficult times.

 _I won't let you or your baby starve, love_. She kind of swooned when she heard his words. A man with a sense of commitment and responsibility. And her baby agreed. "Oooooof!"

"What is it?" He was clearly startled.

"I think the baby just kicked!" She was totally amazed by her baby's movements. It was the first time she ever felt its kick so strongly. "Do you wanna feel it kick?" She invited, so he slowly extended his arm towards her stomach. He was hesitant at first, but she immediately grabbed his hand and placed it directly on the side of her belly. After a few seconds of waiting, the baby kicked again. "Seems to me that the baby likes you." She grinned at him, obliterating all the embarrassment from earlier. "I'm glad that we're doing this together. I thought I'll have to go through all of this by myself after Neal left."

"I live by a code. And that code tells me to take care of a brother's wife and child."

 _He meant every word he said. He would spend his life fending for her and her baby until he breathed his last breath._


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Will Scarlet was flipping through the newspaper in his dimly lighted office when the title of one particular article in the financial section caught his attention. _Killian Jones of FairFax stepped down from office!_ He could sense that someone might be close to exposing the story of the fake marriage between Killian Jones and Emma Swan. He couldn't let the opportunity slip away. He had to be the one selling this story, or else everything he'd done would go to waste. So he gathered all the proof he had and dialed the number of the editor from a famous gossip rag. _It's his time to get rich._

A few days later the Jones couple was on the cover of nearly all entertainment magazines, stating that they were merely a couple for benefit only so that Killian Jones could get his inheritance, and Emma Swan would get an obscene amount of money once his goal had been accomplished. Upon reading the offensive article regarding his personal life, Killian received a call from Drake, who called to relay the message that his grandfather had suffered from a heart attack after reading similar articles about the fake marriage.

"How is he?" He was worried. His grandfather was the only family he had left. He couldn't bear the fact that he might lose him too. He was just not ready for it to happen.

Drake gave a plain answer. "He's stable, for now." He paused before continuing, "But doctors did say he doesn't have much time left. I'm sorry." Jones Sr. was a kind old man who treated him like family, it pained him as much as it did Killian to see the old man gone.

* * *

Emma walked out of her OB/GYN's office with a bright smile on her face. Not long ago Dr. Casey just printed a picture of the ultrasound. "Emma, you're having a boy! Congratulations!" Her doctor delivered the news with great joy. Emma had known Dr. Casey for a long time. Now that Killian's grandfather threw both of them out, Dr. Sanchez's service was no longer available to her. So there's no choice for her but to go back to her own doctor. Meeting Dr. Casey again was like seeing a long-lost friend again. The familiarity soothed her stressful mind. A lot had happened during the past months. Her life was a roller-coaster ride. First, she "married" into one of the most influential families in the United States, being promised half a million following the decease of the head of the Jones family. Then she had to leave the fancy life behind because she and Killian were caught red-handed scheming a plot to ensure Killian's inheritance. And now she was left with no job and a child on the way. The only consolation for her was that her husband was still here with her. His presence was all too reassuring. She felt safe when he's around. He gave her a sense of safety which nobody else could. Sometimes she would wonder, perhaps it's a good thing if they stayed like this for as long as possible. They could have each other to lean on in times of difficulties. But somehow she knew it would be too good to be true. One day he would have to leave her behind, just like Neal did. He would be head of FairFax one day. There was no place for an ordinary woman like herself near Killian Jones.

As she safely deposited the ultrasound photo of her son in her purse, her phone buzzed and startled her a bit. It was Elsa. "Hey Elsa, I was just leaving my doctor's office. Wanna join me for lunch?"

Elsa took a deep breath before saying anything. "Emma, did you marry Killian Jones so he'll give you money?" The bluntness of her question scared the both of them.

"Um… I… Why would you say that?" Emma tried hard to avoid the inevitable conversation with her best friend.

"It's all over the gossip magazines. So I guess it's true then?"

Emma knew she was in the wrong, so she gave up defending herself or denying. "I'm sorry. I couldn't tell you. I really couldn't."

"Unbelievable! I'm your best friend, remember? Best friends tell each other everything and don't lie. I can't tell you how disappointed I am right now." Then Elsa hung up. This time she really created enough damage to their friendship.

Emma wandered on the street, figuring out since when her life went completely wrong. _The day when she agreed to marry Killian Jones? No._ Her life was starting to turn into a giant mess since the day she met Killian Jones. She would continue her normal life if she hadn't found out he lived next to her. Her face wouldn't be on every gossip magazine if she hadn't signed on the agreement for money to raise her baby. She regretted her every decision regarding Killian Jones. There's no going back to her ordinary life now.

When she was taking the subway home, she found herself a seat so that she could put her troubled mind to rest. She closed her eyes and tried to expel her worrisome thoughts from her mind. Suddenly she felt someone took the seat next to her.

"Hello, Ms. Swan." Hearing a man calling her name, Emma quickly opened her eyes, only to find a familiar face—Will Scarlet. "Never thought I'd see you again, let alone on the subway."

"Well, I could say the same! I haven't seen much of you since the charity banquet. How're you doing?"

"My life's been great! Lord is doing me mercy. How 'bout you? And where's that charming husband of yours?"

"He's… having a business meeting." Emma didn't know why she lied to a man who's basically a stranger to her. "And I told the driver not to come and pick me up from the doctor's."

"If you're not in a hurry, join me for lunch? It's on me."

"Why not? I could use some food right now."

His lips curled into a wide grin. Unbeknownst to Emma, his little scheme was just starting to unfold…


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I'm back with another chapter to the story! This chapter is a bit longer than usual but I hope you think it's good. So I've received a few messages saying that sometimes they don't quite get what I write. Just to clarify one more time, I'm not a perfect writer, nor a native speaker of English. If you have any problems reading through my story, then don't bother. And I've always loved readers who are being supportive and leaving reviews to let me know how I can improve:) Thanks for reading!**

* * *

Chapter Eighteen

Will led Emma into a small diner with exquisite exotic decorations. The interior of the restaurant was dimly lighted. There was a delicate lantern sitting on every table. The owner of the diner came out from the kitchen and welcomed Will enthusiastically. Clearly they had known each other for quite some time. Will whispered to Emma's ear, "I hope you like Moroccan food." Never tried any Moroccan cuisine once in her life, Emma simply smiled.

The owner ushered them to the table in the corner near the jukebox, with wonderful jazz music filling the diner. Emma soon took to the music. The owner pulled her back to reality from her musical enjoyment, "Best spot in the diner. I definitely won't arrange your seats here if I don't know Will so well." He slapped Will on the shoulder, yielding a mischievous grin from him. His eyes then wandered from Will to Emma. "So, are you his new girlfriend? His baby mama, huh?"

Sensing the offense in his friend's question, Will quickly stopped him from asking further questions. "Enough with the small talk. Just give us the usual, signature dishes."

The owner gave Will a saluting gesture. "Roger that! It shouldn't take long." Then he made his way back to the kitchen.

"He can be quite a handful sometimes. I hope you don't find him rude." Will looked at Emma apologetically.

Emma smiled. "No, not at all. Nothing to complain here, after all I'm here for a free lunch."

Emma was enjoying the meal. Will told her hilarious jokes; she loved the food and music; the owner would come and join their conversation when there were not too many patrons. The atmosphere there was really nice. It made her take her mind off the troubles she was dealing with.

* * *

As their meal was about to come to an end, Will purposefully brought up something that she really didn't want to talk about. "I know that there must be a lot on your mind right now, Miss Swan." Emma immediately knew what he was referring to, but she couldn't just change the subject without being rude, so she just smiled awkwardly. "Yes, I'm going through a lot. It's hard when your best friend turns her back on you." Emma did her best to contribute to the current subject of discussion without revealing too much detail about her personal life.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I really hope that this meal can ease your mind for a bit." He tried to reach for Emma's hand resting on the table, but she quickly drew it back, barely avoiding the inappropriate action. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. It's not very gentlemanly."

Soon their meal ended in awkwardness. Despite his earlier act of inappropriateness, they still exchanged their numbers, _to facilitate their friendship in Will's words_. After they waved goodbye, Emma was too tired to spend another minute outside, so she went back to her apartment as fast as she could. But to her disappointment, she went home to solitude. _No sight of Killian, she sighed_. Usually at this time of day Killian would be starting to prepare for dinner before his shift at the bar began. She had grown so used to his presence. She had been all alone before Elsa and Killian. She was fine on her own. But even herself didn't know since when she started to become so reliant on him. He was there for her physically, emotionally, and sexually— _although she was having amnesia and ashamed to have done it, it was a wonderful experience, she had to admit_ —she couldn't picture a life without him.

The buzzing of phone pulled her from her thoughts. It's the one person she was thinking about—her husband. "Can you come to the hospital right now? It's grandfather." Emma knew that something was off because his tone was too nervous.

She grabbed her purse and leave home again.

* * *

Emma saw Drake waiting for her at the main entrance when she got off the taxi. He led her through the hustled corridors of the hospital and to the VIP suite where Killian's grandfather was staying in. The old man looked so ill and pale, almost to the point of lifelessness. Killian was already at his bedside, staring at his dying grandfather and gripping the old man's hand. Emma could see drops of tears hanging on the corners of his eyes. She had never saw him like this. He was always so confident, _so alpha-male_. Today he's just this vulnerable, teary man.

Killian Jones was not a frequent crier. _No, he's no crier_. He didn't cry when Milah left him for another man. He didn't cry when his own father walked out on his family. The only time he remembered himself crying, was the time when his mother abandoned him when he was eight. Though his family was a troubled one, he hadn't cried since his mother left. But today, seeing the life of the one person he had adored since childhood drifting away. There's no way he could hold back the tears he felt burning their way down his cheeks.

She wanted to comfort him, but desperately figuring out how, as she too was in no state of comforting other people. Pregnancy hormones always did things to her emotions. Today her crazy hormones decided that she would burst into tears when she saw someone else did too. She tried to blink away the stupid tears, because she didn't want to burden him with another problem—her emotions—on this sad day of his life. But apparently her tears were not under her control, soon her tears began to free-flow like a broken water tap. She wiped the tears from her face as fast as she could so that he wouldn't see her crying.

Killian settled his grandfather's hand on the bed, and turned to look at her. "Don't cry, love."

Emma was too busy wiping her tears and it startled her a bit when he suddenly turned around. "How did you…?" _Did he have eyes growing on the back of his head?_

"I know when you're crying." He stood up from his chair and pulled her into his embrace. "Don't make me sadder than I already am."

She sobbed into his chest. "I just… I don't know why something like this could've happened. I mean… he seemed okay when we last saw him."

"He had a heart attack when he saw the recent publication of our er… personal life. He was already a very sick man before this."

"What did the doctors say?"

"That he doesn't have long. There's nothing they can do by now. He signed a DNR form. Now we wait." He closed his eyes and held her tighter. "I'm not ready to see him go. He's the only family I have left. I can't…"

The beeping of the machine cut him off mid-sentence. The red light at the corner of the heart monitor blinked, signaling for some medical attention. Nurses rushed in and as they checked his vital signs, Killian and Emma both stepped back to let nurses do what they had to. The nurse in dark blue working uniform turned to relay the upsetting news. "I'm really sorry for your loss, Mr. Jones." Then they retreated back to the nursing station to give them some time and privacy for their final goodbye before proper procedures had to be performed without their presence.

His grandfather passing away was like getting his heart stabbed at. It pained him so much that he couldn't even talk like a normal adult. He just stood there letting himself cry and cry and cry… until she slid her arms around his torso and hugged him from his back.

"From now on, _we_ are the only family you have left." She had no idea how comforting and reassuring her words were to him.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

Sometime after the preparations of his grandfather's funeral were all finished, the family lawyer had promptly dealt with finalizing the estate and took care of all the matters regarding the old man's decease. After meeting with the funeral director, Killian received a call from the family lawyer saying to gather at the Jones mansion as he had some announcements to make.

As they arrived at the mansion, Drake gestured for them to enter the sitting room as the family lawyer was waiting for them there. The lawyer rose from the antique armchair and took out a letter from the inner pocket of his suit jacket. "Mr. Jones left a letter for the two of you. I received his strict instructions that this letter can only be given to you after his demise." He handed Killian the letter. He tore open the envelope and took its content out. As he read the letter, mist started to form in front of his eyes…

* * *

 _Dear Killian and Emma,_

 _The minute I told you two to leave the house, I regretted it._

 _Killian, you are my grandson and the only family I have after your father, my own son left. There's no way I can disown you. We are connected by blood. And I didn't recognize the significance of it after you two left. All I said_ _that day was only because my eyes were blinded by wrath. Although I was fairly angry at your deception, I forgive you. You did what you did out of mercy to this old man. You wanted to fulfill your dying grandfather's one last wish. I understand your actions. Just know that I have forgiven you before I breathed my last breath. That's why you will reinstate as the CEO of FairFax the day after this letter has been read. I know that FairFax will head a better direction under your charge. I have faith in you._

 _Emma, my sweet granddaughter-in-law, I still remember the day we first met. You are the first woman he's ever presented to me. And I can never forget the bright smile of yours. After finding out that the marriage between you and my grandson was just an arrangement in order to ensure his inheritance, something had come to my mind—a doubt about the baby's paternity. But I don't care if the baby is indeed Killian's. I know that Killian will treat it like his even if it's not. Your marriage may be a scheme, but there's definitely mutual attraction I sense in your relationship. I know you'll make a good fit for my grandson. You two look so perfect together. I have left a ring for you. It belonged to Killian's grandmother. Now, it belongs to you._

 _Consider it a selfish wish of a dying old man, but I hope that the arrangements of your marriage remain, because I know you two make a very beautiful couple. You two belong together._

 _Love,_

 _Grandfather_

* * *

Killian dug out the ring from the envelope and showed it to Emma. It was a ring with emerald and diamonds encircling it. She had never seen a piece of jewelry this breathtaking. "This ring is so beautiful. I bet it looked good on your grandmother."

He slid the ring down her middle finger. "It looks good on you too. It suits you well."

"Ahem." The lawyer reminded them his presence, interrupted their little moment. "Besides the reinstatement, your accounts are no longer frozen. The funds inside are at your disposal." He then grabbed his briefcase on the floor and left.

Killian thanked the lawyer and focused on his wife again. "So… with everything settled… I understand if you want to um… end our agreement. You will still get what I promised. It is what you deserve."

Emma looked into his watery blue eyes. "Do you really think I would just walk away from you like that? I'm your family now, remember? Plus, your grandfather didn't want us get divorced."

Although as much as it pleased him to hear her say that she didn't want to end their arrangement, she didn't agree because she wanted him, it was just to honor a dead old man's wish. The sense of disappointment rose from within him. _Oh, how much he wanted her to stay just because of him._


End file.
